'Ruperts must pay'

[Excalibur]

One of the richest families in the country, the Rupert family, is embroiled in a bitter feud with rural Nkomazi municipality in Mpumalanga over "unpaid" rates and taxes worth R64-million.

The family owns the Leopard Creek Golf Course Estate which measures 7245 hectares and hosts the prestigious Alfred Dunhill golf championship which has featured top golfers such as Tiger Woods.

The matter was heard before an appeals board set up by the provincial department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs in September and October.

Both parties were represented by their lawyers.

In papers Sowetan has seen, the appeals board ruled against Leopard Creek, saying it hoped the two parties would cooperate in the next meetings.

In February, MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs Refilwe Mtsweni received a report from the municipality about the Rupert estate allegedly not paying its rates and services. She then set up the appeals board to look into the matter.

The municipality and the Rupert estate hired valuers to look into how much the land was worth, and the municipality valued it at R1.4-billion while the estate valuer gave a lower price which has not been made public. The estate consists of an 18-hole golf course with a club house, recreational facilities, other facilities, developed and undeveloped residential portions.

The board ruled against the estate citing the municipality, in terms of the Municipal Property Rates Act, has a right to have its own valuer evaluate the land so it could decide on the price.

Link.

 

[LazyLion]

Greedy criminal swines!

Who exactly are you talking about?

The Ruperts or the Metro?

Just because another Metro takes power doesn't mean all previous contracts and agreements are null and void.

 

[crackersa]

Who exactly are you talking about?

The Ruperts or the Metro?

Just because another Metro takes power doesn't mean all previous contracts and agreements are null and void.

Agree. And the description of the estate....1.8 billion seems fair.....but note that I am no expert.

 

[Jings]

Last year Sun City kicked off with a projected R800 million in renovations alone. It's not far fetched that a 7245 hectares golf estate is worth R1.4-billion.

I like the way the Sowetenlive displays advertising. It's non intrusive and you only hear the ad when hovering the mouse of it.

 

[Excalibur]

OK here we go again, bloody greedy capitalist pigs!

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

They should pull a Soweto electricity arrears move ....... much as I hate their kind, the circus needs to be shown what's good for the goose is good for the gander .....

 

[Jings]

They should pull a Soweto electricity arrears move ....... much as I hate their kind, the circus needs to be shown what's good for the goose is good for the gander .....

What is a a Soweto electricity arrears move?

 

[Fulcrum29]

The Rupert family is holding onto an agreement it entered into with then Malelane transitional council in 1996, where a flat rate of R35000 per year should be paid to the municipality with a 10% increment each year.

Speaking on behalf of the estate and the family, Josua Malherbe said: "Leopard Creek has an agreement with the Malelane municipality effective since 1 January 1996 in terms of which Leopard Creek voluntarily pays a monthly amount to the municipality, in spite of the fact that the municipality provides absolutely no services to Leopard Creek.

"The current amount paid to the municipality in terms of the agreement amounts to millions of rands per year."

Malherbe said Leopard Creek had expressed its willingness to increase the monthly sum it paid, but the municipality refused to enter into discussions about this and chose the legal route instead.

But, municipality spokesman Cyril Ripinga disputed that the estate was paying millions, saying they were owed R64-million and they wanted their money.

"First, we cannot be talking about agreements of the old order. This agreement which we do not dispute is there [and] was done by the Malelane transitional council not the Nkomazi municipality, which includes all the 54 villages of the area.

"Again, let it be known that local government was established in 2000 with new laws which include the Municipal Property Rates Act, so we cannot be talking of an agreement signed under trees by their friends here," he said.

These parties can easily prove the above... The university spokesman is a bit voor op die perd.

 

[TheChamp]

Shameless...

 

[Fulcrum29]

I want to know, these rates and taxes are it truly owned to the Nkomazi municipality or actually to the traditional leaders representing the 54 villages?