The City of Cape Town has extended the due date for applications for pensioner and disabled persons rebates to 30 November 2017. Read more below:
Pensioners and people with disabilities have an additional opportunity to apply for rebates, as the City has extended the deadline for applications from 31 August 2017 to 30 November 2017. This decision was made after the City noted a marked reduction in the number of approved beneficiaries. The total number of beneficiaries as at 31 August 2017 was 28 753, compared with the average of nearly 32 000 in previous years.
Rates rebates for senior citizens and people with disabilities are granted between 10% and 100% to qualifying applicants where the monthly household income is between R4 000 and R15 000. Residents who qualify for these rebates can also access the subsidised Lifeline Electricity Tariff provided their consumption remains less than 450 units per month.
Residents who would like to apply should please complete and submit the senior citizens and disabled persons rates rebate application form. This form can be obtained at walk-in centres or downloaded from the City’s website.
Residents must include the following with the application:
- Proof of income for the owner and spouse/partner and three months’ original, printed bank statements for all banking accounts
- Copies of ID of owner and spouse/partner
- Copies of lease agreement if you own additional property
- Proof of pension
- Proof of investments or dividends
- Proof of usufruct/habitation/executor/administrator or curator
- Proof of trust document and income of all beneficiaries
- A copy of the applicant’s ID and proof of income for all owners if the property is registered to multiple owners
- A copy of the applicant’s (person residing) ID and proof of income for all other members if the property is registered as a close corporation
- A copy of death certificate or will, if applicable
- Any other documents that City may deem necessary
Completed application forms can be submitted at any of the City’s walk-in centres or the documents can be sent via post to: Revenue Department, City of Cape Town, PO Box 655, Cape Town, 8000. If forms are being submitted by post, a certified copy of your ID book or other proof of identification (and not the original) is required.
The City also accepts emailed application forms and documents. These can be submitted to Rates.rebate@capetown.gov.za.
Approved rebate applications will remain valid until the next General Valuation, i.e. until 30 June 2019, or change in gross household income, after which time residents will need to reapply. Any owner who meets all the criteria for the first time may apply to receive the rebate from the date that the City receives the application for the remainder of the validity of that valuation period.
‘The value of the City’s social assistance packages increased from R2,5 billion in 2016/17 to R2,7 billion in 2017/18, and we want as many people to benefit as possible. As a caring city, we have a special responsibility to the vulnerable, including the elderly and disabled. As such, and given the significant drop in re-registrations, it was only right that the deadline be extended to cater for those who were unable to meet the original deadline. This customer-centric approach is in line with our Organisational Development and Transformation Plan, whereby we want to make sure that as many residents as possible benefit from the services that we provide. The rebates on offer can make a big difference to someone living on a pension,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Finance, Councillor Johan van der Merwe.