Ratepayers are not freeloaders – AfriForum goes to court over city cleansing levy

AfriForum is expected to take the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality to court on an urgent basis by 24 July to stop the Metro’s decision to implement a so-called “city cleansing levy”. With this levy, the Metro intends to force almost 200 000 residential and more than 60 000 business property ratepayers to pay for a levy that AfriForum considers to be unfair double taxation. According to the Metro’s original communication, this levy will come into effect today (1 July 2025), but AfriForum has since been informed that no recovery will be made before 1 August. The levy, if implemented, will collect an arbitrary R194.37 per month from affected households – without offering any corresponding service delivery in return.

AfriForum originally requested an urgent interdict in an attempt to stop the implementation before today, but following an agreement between AfriForum and the Metro, the latter now has further opportunity to supplement their court documents. The case will now be heard in the Pretoria High Court on the 24th of July.

At the heart of AfriForum’s legal challenge is a fundamental question: why are residents – who do not use the City’s waste removal services – being hit with an additional tax whilst the City simply cannot dutifully serve their residents. Moreover, AfriForum contends that this levy amounts to nothing more than double taxation, as residents are already paying property rates which is supposed to fund “city cleansing” services.

In their court application, AfriForum argues that the City of Tshwane is trying to mask its financial mismanagement and budgetary failures by demanding more money from hard-working citizens under the guise of a “cleansing” tariff rather than addressing the underlying issues such as corruption and financial mismanagement.

Beyond the factual misgivings on which the City places their defence, AfriForum holds that the tone and content of the City’s response is simply disgraceful. The Metro – represented by the Divisional Head of Waste Management, Louis Makhubele – went so far in their answering affidavit as to label ratepayers as “freeloaders” and “beneficiaries who make no contribution”.

“This spiteful characterisation is inaccurate and utterly disrespectful. These ratepayers are the backbone of Tshwane’s income stream, contributing billions in property taxes and other tariffs annually. Yet the City chooses to scorn them for taking responsibility for their own refuse removal when the municipality has consistently failed to deliver the service they are constitutionally obligated to provide,” says Arno Roodt, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Greater Pretoria South.

Instead of accepting responsibility or apologising for this long-standing neglect, the City responded with arrogance, dismissing AfriForum’s case as “hopeless” and even questioning the public’s right to challenge the decision. They show open disdain for the desperate financial sacrifices families must make, and for the legal, constitutional and moral questions AfriForum has raised. In doing so, they reveal a governing attitude that is not only out of touch, but outright hostile to the people they serve.

“This is not just about a levy. It’s about a City that simply sees ratepayers as cash cows and shows no shame in insulting those who selflessly continue to contribute to the Cities unyielding taxation drives. Tshwane has lost touch with its mandate to serve the public, and it is now punishing ratepayers for its own inability to balance a budget. We will not tolerate this type of disgraceful conduct – nor should the courts.”

AfriForum warns that this crisis in Tshwane is not an isolated case, but rather a symptom of a wider pattern of municipal collapse, where citizens are expected to carry the burden of dysfunctional administrations. The organisation argues that, if allowed to proceed unchecked, this levy will set a dangerous precedent for municipalities across South Africa to simply “charge their way out” of failure – without accountability or actual service delivery.

AfriForum undertakes to continue pursuing this matter in court until the levy is set aside.

To join this fight visit www.wordlid.co.za to contribute to AfriForum’s work or to become a member.