GCC to name, shame, prosecute property rates delinquents
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday April 7, 2025 15:19
He stated in a statement that they will refer to the Local Government Act of 2012 and regulation 35 of the Local Government (Valuation and Rating) Regulations 2019. The two provisions provide that where the owner of the property fails to pay the rates following the issuance of a demand letter, the council should publish in the Government Gazette or in a newspaper of national circulation, the name of the person and the amount of the rates owed by him or her. The regulations, he stated, empower the council to approach the courts of law and institute legal action against the said persons should the rates remain unpaid after the issuance of the demand and publication referred to above.
'GCC is, therefore, calling upon all owners of rateable properties within Gaborone to pay all outstanding rates for their properties, failing which the council shall evoke the provisions of Regulations 35 referred to above and publish their names and amounts owed in the Gazette or a national newspaper,” he wrote.
Further, the council advised members of the public that it shall approach the courts of law to sue for the recovery of the said monies.
Should the rates remain unpaid after the aforementioned publication and the concerned individuals or entities will be liable for the costs of the said proceedings.
In 2022, GCC revealed that at least 45,000 plots in various parts of the capital weren't included in the valuation roll, the instrument the local authority uses to gauge how much rates property owners should pay. This would lead to GCC engaging private valuation companies for a new roll which is yet to be gazetted.
Speaking to The Monitor, GCC Principal Attorney Motlabaseyo Dambe said they also intend to educate Batswana more on rates as they aim to collect for developing the city.
'The council is owed millions of pula whilst the council is cash strapped hence we are trying our best to collect. People have been owing for a long time some claiming they don't know that they have to pay,' she said.
Dambe said whilst they await the recently completed valuation roll to be in use, they will be following the debts using the current roll. She added the new roll is expected to be published soon.
Rating valuation in Botswana is currently regulated by the newly amended Local Government Act (2012) and the Townships Act of 1955 and regulations of 2019.
The Acts require a revaluation to be done every after five years based on the capital value method of valuation.
The current valuation roll for GCC was outsourced in 2008 and implemented for use in 2012. The valuation roll helps get the city value and what is being gained and how much could be saved.
But that never happened. For years, the government couldn't levy proper rates due to failure to develop valuation rolls in Cities and Towns. Since the last valuation, a lot of malls have developed in Gaborone which aren't within the roll.