Rates Department Operations During Lockdown
The Municipal Rates Department operations during lockdown have changed. From 13 May 2020, municipalities are allowed to perform various legislated functions including operations relating to municipal services and revenue collection. Each municipality will still have to adhere to the social distancing guidelines imposed by the government.
As the rates departments begin to operate, we should be mindful that there will be backlogs of:
- Processing of payments for the issuing of rates clearance certificates;
- New applications for rates clearance certificates which may have expired during the lockdown; and
- New applications for transfers anticipated to be lodged in the Deeds Office.
Therefore, the municipalities will take some time to attend to these backlogs as well as doing so with a limited amount of staff.
eThekwini Municipality advised that they will be operating from 13 May 2020 as follows:
- The rates clearance certificate department will open with a skeleton staff on a rotational basis, working daily from 07h00 to 18h00. This also applies to all other departments involved in the Revenue Clearance value chain.
- Due to Social Distancing guidelines and in the best interest of the health and safety of the Clearance staff, no outsiders (i.e. conveyancers, estate agents, buyers or sellers) will be allowed into the rates clearance department.
Conveyancers are also permitted to contact the municipality regarding their rates clearance certificates which expired between 27 March and 31 May 2020 so hopefully, the issue of replacement certificates will be quicker.
The following municipalities are already working with skeleton staff:
| Amahlathi Municipality | Ekurhuleni Springs | Metsimaholo Municipality |
| Beaufort West Municipality | Ekurhuleni Tembisa | Mossel Bay Municipality |
| Bela Bela Municipality | Endumeni Municipality | Mtubatuba Municipality |
| Bitou Municipality | George Municipality | Ndlambe Municipality |
| Breede Valley Municipality | Govan Mbeki Municipality | Newcastle Municipality |
| City of Cape Town | Greater Tzaneen Municipality | Okhahlamba Municipality |
| City of Mbombela | Hessequa Municipality | Oudtshoorn Municipality |
| Collins Chabane Municipality | iLembe Municipality | Polokwane Local Municipality |
| Dihlabeng Municipality | Inkosi Langalibalele Municipality | Ray Nkonyeni Municipality |
| Ekurhuleni Alberton | Kannaland Municipality | Saldanha Bay Municipality |
| Ekurhuleni Benoni | Knysna Municipality | Stellenbosch Municipality |
| Ekurhuleni Brakpan | Kokstad Municipality | Thaba Chweu Municipality |
| Ekurhuleni Edenvale | Lephalale Municipality | Ugu Municipality |
| Ekurhuleni Kempton park | Matatiele Municipality | Umdoni Municipality |
| Ekurhuleni Nigel | Matjhabeng Municipality | uMzinyathi Municipality |
| Uthukela Municipality | ||
Should you have any queries on the transfer process, please do not hesitate to contact our conveyancer, Marchelle Botha or visit our website.