The South African Property Owners Association (Sapoa) has launched a legal challenge against the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality over its new non-residential refuse removal tariff, which ties waste collection fees to property valuation.
The municipality implemented the new structure on July 1, replacing previous flat-rate or volume-based models with a valuation-linked approach.
Sapoa argues the methodology is flawed and has asked the court to compel the metro to adjust its budget within two months to address the dispute.
The case underscores the ongoing tension between local government entities seeking to broaden their revenue bases and business owners facing rising operational costs.
Mangaung has maintained that the valuation-linked model is necessary to ensure equitable cost recovery for waste management services.
The outcome of the litigation could set a precedent for how other municipalities structure service tariffs in the coming fiscal year.