Dear OPERRA members
- Ward Committee
Since the election in November 2021, no ward committee has been established. A draft by-law on ward committees was circulated for public comment. We have given an input to the Metro Council. The process of approving a by-law is time-consuming and the elections of the committees will also take time. Important matters for residents’ attention are already on the agenda, such as the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and the next metro budget. As an interim arrangement, we were advised that a non-official ward committee group can be formed in a ward with the cooperation of the ward councillor. Residents’ associations can take the initiative and encourage the ward councillor to be part of it.
- The Internal Municipal Service District by-law
The by-law was approved recently by the Council. It is an alternative for the City Improvement District (CID), which was declared unconstitutional by the courts, because the levies they raised were legally interpreted as new local taxes. Only national legislation can enable this, but it does not exist for this purpose. Presumably, this impediment has not been rectified in the new by-law and therefore its future is also not assured.
- My Smart City app
This App is available on Play Store and other app sites. It is very useful for reporting service delivery problems to Tshwane as an additional mechanism to the official sms system. It includes also other facilities such as direct access to emergency services.
- Supreme Court of Appeal judgement on illegal businesses
A recent judgement by the Supreme Court of Appeal in a Johannesburg case about additional taxes paid by businesses not zoned for that purpose, is worth looking at. A media report on it is available at: https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/south-africa/take-note-if-you-are-conducting-a-business-from-your-private-residence/. This is the link to the judgement: https://www.supremecourtofappeal.org.za/index.php/component/jdownloads/summary/35-judgments-2021/3599-city-of-johannesburg-metropolitan-municipality-v-zibi-and-another-234-2020-2021-zasca-97-09-july-2021
Feature picture: JH Pierneef: Apiesrivier, Pretoria met Meintjieskop agter 1948