Today’s announcement by the City of Cape Town confirms what many of us have warned all along: the much-publicised 10.2% property rates reduction was never a genuine relief for residents – it was built on a flawed and unlawful tariff model that has now collapsed under court scrutiny.
The recent High Court ruling against the City of Cape Town’s property-value-based fixed charges exposed serious weaknesses in the City’s tariff and revenue model when they were found unconstitutional, unlawful and invalid.
Launching an appeal against last week’s full-bench Western Cape High Court judgment that declared its fixed cleaning, water and sanitation tariffs unlawful will not suspend the binding effect of the judgement.
The GOOD Party is procuring legal advice on the appropriate next steps to force the City of Cape Town to comply with last week’s Western Cape High Court finding that its fixed tariff regime is unlawful – and return over-charges to residents.
The GOOD Party calls on the City to stop pretending that it gives a damn about redistributive and social justice, and actually do something real to narrow inequality.