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Municipality’s 2023/2024 Property Rates Bills Now Available

Universally municipalities are mandated by law to facilitate for development and provide public services at the local government level or community level. To deliver on their mandate, municipalities are further empowered by law to raise funds through different tax regimes to fund their mandate.  In Eswatini, municipalities are mandated by the Urban Government Act 1969 to ensure sustainable development at the local government level while also providing effective municipal services to communities. Of note, is that the country’s municipalities are only empowered to raise their developmental funds through property taxation only as a main revenue base. This is achieved through the Rating Act of 1995, which empowers the municipalities to annually assess and levy a general rate on all immovable property within the urban jurisdiction. It is worth mentioning that property taxation is based on the market value of land and improvements (buildings) which economically appreciates continuously depending on the country’s economic performance and other factors.

With that backdrop and consideration of  the new financial year commencing in a few days, the Municipality takes this time to inform all property owners within the Manzini urban boundary that the Property Rates Assessment and Billing Process for 2023/2024 has been completed. The issuance of the 2023/2024 Rates Bills will commence on the 1st of April 2023 at the post office and hand deliveries. The bills will also be communicated to property owners through the electronic media, which include SMSs and E-mails. Those who wish to have the bills emailed are requested to notify the Municipality’s Finance Department (2508 5053/2508 5024/2508 5028).

The municipality would like to make a plea to property owners to start payments or make payment arrangements immediately after receiving their bills to avoid accumulating interests. As per the Rating Act, rates balances are expected to have been paid by the 31^st May 2023, after which the statutory interest of 15% per annum (1.25% per month) will be effected on all outstanding balances.

The municipality has various rates payment arrangements for property owners who may not be able to pay their rates in full by the stipulated period. These include but not limited to paying in instalments, which is renewed on an annual basis and   debit orders arrangements. The advantage of the payment arrangements is that it allows the property owner to be exempted from the statutory interest for as long as there is no defaulting on the agreed instalments. The Municipality further advises that estate properties are not exempt from rates payment. The Municipality takes this opportunity to appreciate property owners who always make it a point to pay their rates in time and in full.

Available Rates Payment Methods; 

In an effort to ensure the ease and efficiency of the rates payment process for customers, the municipality has established numerous digital rates payment platforms and still searching for more. These include; Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), MTN Mobile Money, Eswatini Mobile e-Mali, and cash at the Rates Hall or debit/credit card swiping at the Rates Hall. The Municipality has accounts with a number of financial institutions, namely; Nedbank, Standard Bank, First National Bank and Swaziland Building Society. The following are the details for the various digital platforms;

 UPDATE YOUR “KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER (KYC)” INFORMATION

The Municipality takes this opportunity to plead to all residents and stakeholders to come to Council and update their KYC information. This information helps Council to update the necessary databases, which in turn aid all financial procedures, which may be required by customers during the course of the year. Council further implores property owners who may have changed their postal addresses and other contact details, or those who may have recently acquired property within the Manzini urban boundary, to furnish the Municipality with the new contact details for ease of communication. If there is anyone who owns property in the Manzini urban area but does not receive any form of communication from the Municipality, it means there is something wrong with the contact details relating to the property on the Municipality’s side. The property owner is required to approach the Municipality and update the contact information.

Here are the necessary requirements for the KYC:

• National ID
• Email
• Title deed (For new property occupants)
• All possible Contact Details
• Plot number/township