LETTER: City of Joburg sucks property rates out of its thumb

I could  not agree more with Andy Clay’s letter (“Properties are valued in cloud cuckoo land”, March 7). How in the world does the City of Johannesburg get these property values? The economy is in free fall and it raises rates? It is out of touch with reality.

My home was previously rated to be worth R2.3m, and the city has now decided it is worth R2.626m, a 14.17% increase. The best valuation I have had from reputable estate agents is R2.05m at March 6. Like Clay, I would happily hand over the keys to the front door at that price.

Bruce Furness
Johannesburg

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