DA-led Stellenbosch Municipality suspends rates collection for businesses and households impacted by Covid-19
25 March 2020
Note to Editors: Kindly find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Dr. Leon Schreiber MP, DA Stellenbosch Municipality Constituency Head and also a soundbite by Gesie van Deventer, Stellenbosch Municipality Mayor
The Democratic Alliance (DA) led Stellenbosch Municipality, under the leadership of mayor Gesie van Deventer, is blazing a trail of good governance to put residents first in the face of the Covid-19 crisis. During an emergency meeting today, the DA-led council took the unprecedented decision to suspend the collection of property rates for businesses and households within the municipal boundaries that have been negatively impacted by the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The payment holiday will last for three months. Once the crisis is over, the municipality will work with applicants to repay the principal outstanding debt on reasonable terms and without the accrual of any new interest. As a responsible custodian of public money, Stellenbosch Municipality will only grant the rates payment holiday to businesses, farms, and industrial enterprises that, upon formal application, can prove that their income has been negatively affected by the coronavirus crisis.
The same application process will apply to individuals. Rate payments for all households with individuals who lose their job as a result of the crisis will also be paused for three months, and no interest will be charged.