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Double Waste Tax Fury in Tshwane: Residents Slam R223 Fee as Legal Battle Looms
Residents of the City of Tshwane are up in arms over a surprise waste levy that’s hit their July bills—despite many never using private waste services.
A new “Waste Management” fee of R223.53, effective from 1 July 2025, was meant to target gated communities and malls using private waste collectors. But the charge has mistakenly appeared on thousands of residential accounts, including for households that exclusively rely on the city’s own waste services.
The confusion is most widespread in sectional title schemes, complexes and estates, where residents say the levy has been applied twice: once at the complex level and again on individual unit bills.
What Went Wrong?
The City of Tshwane said the charge was aimed at recouping costs from communities that only pay for a single municipal bin, while their service providers dump waste at city-owned sites. But its implementation has been chaotic.
According to Jacqui Uys, the DA’s finance spokesperson in Tshwane, “accounts are all over the show,” with no clarity on who should actually be paying. The fee appears as a flat R194.37 excluding VAT on bills, totalling R223.53 per property, regardless of usage.
Here’s Who Should Actually Be Paying:
| Type of Property | Not Using Private Waste Collection | Using Private Waste Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold / Full Title | R447.05 for Tshwane waste collection All other waste fees invalid |
R223.53 “Waste Management” charge All other waste fees invalid |
| Sectional Title / Complex | R447.05 on either the complex or individual account ⚠ If both are charged, lodge a dispute |
R223.53 per unit on either the complex or unit’s account ⚠ If both are charged, lodge a dispute |
Affected residents are urged to lodge queries immediately before payment is due, to avoid service disconnection. If unresolved within two weeks, customers must submit a Tshwane Dispute Form (with a reference number) to [email protected] to get a DD tracking number for follow-ups.
Uys stressed that residents in complexes must lodge complaints individually, not through a body corporate.
AfriForum Launches Urgent Court Action
The levy is already heading to court. AfriForum has launched a legal challenge in the North Gauteng High Court, calling the charge “unfair double taxation”.
“People are being taxed into oblivion,” said Uys, while AfriForum’s Arno Roodt accused the city of lacking the administrative ability to apply the fee correctly.
The organisation said many residents turned to private waste removal because of poor municipal services, and are now being punished with extra charges.
AfriForum’s local government affairs advisor, Deidré Steffens, said the levy violates Section 74(2) of the Municipal Systems Act, which requires tariffs to be usage-based and cost-reflective, not flat-rate charges per property.
“Cleaning services that don’t generate revenue are usually funded by property taxes, not add-on levies,” she explained.
What Residents Can Do
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Check your account carefully.
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If charged incorrectly, log a query immediately.
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Pay only the valid charges to avoid cut-offs.
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If unresolved after two weeks, submit a Tshwane Dispute Form.
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Report the charge to AfriForum if you want to be part of the court case.
The court case will be heard on Friday, 25 July 2025, with the outcome potentially affecting thousands of Tshwane households.
{Source: My Broad Band}
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