TOTT 2 May 2019

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May 2, 2019
OPINION
Va l u at i o n
deadline
lo oming
If you are a property owner in Ndlambe, the
deadline for objecting against the
valuation assigned to your property is
tomorrow (Friday), so if you are unhappy and
have not formally objected, time is fast
running out.
As the Port Alfred Residents and
Ratepayers Association (Parra) informed
readers in Talk of the Town a month ago, the
general valuation of properties in Ndlambe
was completed some time ago and the roll
was made available for inspection and
objection.
Each municipal account holder should also
have received a notice of their new valuation
with their March municipal account.
Parra chairman Dawie van Wyk said he
was satisfied that valuations had been
performed using recognised valuation
methods with the comparative sales method
being used predominantly where possible.
This would have included all residential
properties and vacant land.
Many attributes are used to compare the
various properties to each other, including
land size, size and condition of
improvements, location, view, street appeal.
Obviously not all properties were
inspected, but apparently a comprehensive
set of street view photographs were taken by
the valuers. These together with aerial
photographs and municipal data were used
to generate values for each property.
Commercial properties are valued by
capitalising the expected incomes based on
information provided to the valuers by
various owners and property managers.
These incomes were capitalised using the
yield expected by investors.
Talk of the Town became aware of
irregularities in valuations in some areas.
One resident told TotT that some property
values in Francolin Road had gone up by
27% while prime beachfront properties in
West Beach Drive had gone down in value by
20%.
She rightly pointed out this was a huge
discrepancy and appeared to be irrespective
of the size of house/erf or number of
bathrooms or sea views or beachfront
access. Values appeared to be assigned
willy-nilly for entire streets and areas. But
not all houses in these areas are of the same
worth and size.
Van Wyk said that in the Ndlambe
Ratepayers Forum’s discussions with the
valuation service provider and Ndlambe
municipal officials, they acknowledged some
calculation errors in the West Beach Drive,
Greenmantle Drive and Francolin Road areas
and that these were being addressed by the
valuators and the municipality.
But this week, the municipality reverted to
the refrain that “all unhappy consumers
must object against a valuation they are in
disagreement with”.
Van Wyk warned that “the mistake was
made by the valuators and thus they/the
municipality must inform all those who have
incorrect values and how the values are
going to be corrected.
“The municipality is opening itself up for
litigation as they have knowingly accepted
incorrectly calculated values.”
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Tide Guide
Kind courtesy-SA Navy
HIGH
0246 1502
0315 1530
0344 1559
0413 1629
0443 1701
0515 1734
0548 1810
0625 1853
W:7p2.824
H:1.0001cm
Talk of the Town :
L OW
Jon Houzet
0902 2108
0931 2137
0959 2207
1028 2237
1058 2309
1130 2343
1204 –
1243 0021
HAVE YOUR S AY
Letters to PO Box 2871, Port Alfred - or e-mail to houzetj@tisoblackstar.co.za
This is an open forum for readers to express their opinions. However, the publishers reserve the right to shorten letters. Those printed are not necessarily the views of Talk of the Town. Although noms de plume may be used,
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USEFUL KNOWLEDGE: Winners of the first quiz evening at the Volo in Kenton last Friday were the team which called themselves the Bold and the
Quizzical, from left, Johan Steenkamp, Annaline Hattingh, Pieter Bredenkamp and Cara van der Merwe
FAMILY TEAM: New residents in Kenton, but familiar faces to Port Alfred residents, are the team Party of 5-1
who played at the Volo quiz, from left, Dylan Murray, Ethan Murray, Tania Murray and Gaby Murray, front
Buffalo paid ultimate price
The recent Oceana buffalo
debacle at Riet River begs
the following questions:
Does a boundary fence
between Oceana and the
beach (a public area)
exist? If not, would that
explain the “getting out of
the reserve” st at e m e n t
and, further, what would
have happened had
someone walking on that
stretch of beach got in
their path?
What laws, if any,
govern game reserves
Emergency numbers
Port Alfred hospital – (046) 604-4000
Police station – (046) 604-2001/2
Multi-Security – (046) 624-2508
Chubb Security – (046) 624-4810
Sky Alarms – (046) 624-2806
NSRI – 082-990-5971
Electricity (a/h) - (046) 624-1111
EMS (Emergency Medical Services) – 10177
Gardmed –082-759-2134
Holistic EMS – 063-460-0042
Fire Department – (046) 624-1111
abutting on to public
areas?
Sadly, at the end of the
day, irrespective of any
reasons given, these
creatures paid the
ultimate price.
DIANA TREMEER
Article on Prof Neethling’s field
study of marina, contained error
In the article on page 12 of TotT
April 25, there is a factual error
that I wish to respectfully bring
to your attention.
I am incorrectly quoted in the
article as saying “That was when
we employed Professor Johan
Neethling from the University of
the Western Cape to carry out
extensive studies...”
That is unfortunately not
correct. Dr Johan Neethling was
the chief director of Nature
Conservation for the Cape
Provincial Administration and
when the politicians in Cape
Eye test begs questions
My father-in-law went to renew
his driver’s licence and failed
the eye test.
Surprised at this, I took him
to Spec-Savers at the Heritage
Mall and he passed with flying
colours. I wondered if anyone
Town were unable to reach a
decision, we suggested that they
depoliticise the marina issue by
sending Dr Neethling to Port
Alfred to carry out a field survey
in Port Alfred and to make the
final decision based on the
environmental impact that the
proposed Marina development
would have on the Kowie
Estuar y.
At the end of his field study,
he concluded that the proposed
marina, by restoring a full tidal
interchange to the lower part of
the estuary after more than a
Thanks for
Amanzi
success
Words cannot express how
grateful I am to you for your
support and assistance in the
build up to, and during the
Amanzi Challenge.
The event was a huge
success, thanks to your
effor ts.
Looking forward to Amanzi
Challenge 2020 with TotT by
our side.
ZWELI NKWINTI, BS Sports
Disabled parking: vote ‘No’ or ‘Go’
I request a public response after
being threatened with legal action
after intimating that “i d i ot s ” are
occupying disabled parking spots.
Remember – I have a disabled
nephew who often has to be dropped
off at the entrance of malls, etc and
his parents must drive and park
elsewhere – despite having a
disabled sticker.
I have been publishing pictures for
a year with only support and praise
... until now.
Three questions – yes or no:
1. Are you displaying a disabled
st i c ke r ?
2. If “no”, did you know you were
breaking the law when you parked
there? (If no to both then a genius
will not describe you).
3. If you have seen the other
pictures I posted in TotT and have not
responded, then the law of passive
acceptance applies.
Please send any short message to
TotT showing agreement or
disagreement with my pictures.
Port Alfred, please act with either
“Go Doug” or “No Doug”.
I trust TotT will support me (as
much as friends and acquaintances
have) in my quest to preserve morals
and respect in our town.
Comments like “it’s after hours”, “I
have a limp”, “look at my bandage”
do NOT count as a disabled sticker.
I’m counting on a positive vote
please Port Alfred.
DOUG JENNINGS
else had the same problem?
Do your eye test before you
go to the traffic department as
there seems to be a problem
with their equipment.
M SINCLAIR
century of stagnation, it would
have a significant beneficial
effect on the health of the
estuary. This was subsequently
confirmed by Professor Tom
Hecht of the JLB Smith Institute
for Aquatic Biodiversity in
numerous field studies
conducted by students under his
guidance.
I would appreciate it if you
could arrange for the
rectification of the error by
publishing this letter.
JUSTIN DE WET STEYN