Rates and Fixed Charges Are Outpacing Reality Household Costs Are Rising Faster Than Incomes Over the past three years, municipal rates and fixed charges in Mossel Bay have increased by more than 100%, while inflation has averaged approximately 4.5% per
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MossRates is a registered, independent ratepayer association formed to represent the interests of residents, homeowners, and businesses in Mossel Bay. Its purpose is simple but essential: to promote transparency in municipal decision-making, advocate for fairness in rates and tariffs, and support sustainable environmental and infrastructure outcomes. MossRates exists to ensure that ratepayer voices are informed, organised, and meaningfully heard.
At MossRates, we believe that real change starts with how we treat each other. That’s why we’re proud to introduce our official Code of Conduct and Publication Standards—a simple, clear guide to ensure our community remains respectful, constructive, and impactful.
Over the past two decades, Mossel Bay’s freshwater systems — from the Hartenbos and Klein Brak Rivers to smaller tributaries — have been under growing pressure. Once rich with native fish, amphibians, and riparian vegetation, many of these systems are now classified as heavily modified or critically endangered. This article explores how alien species, excessive water extraction, and pollution are converging to erode the ecological integrity of these river systems. Drawing from the Mossel Bay Biodiversity Assessment (2019)
The Powertown informal settlement in Mossel Bay has grown over many years on land that is environmentally sensitive, flood-prone, and unsuited to formal development. Despite official plans to relocate the community to properly serviced housing — including sites like Sonskynvallei — implementation has stalled. Meanwhile, infrastructure such as water, sanitation, and electricity has been extended in practice, raising questions about planning consistency, regulatory compliance, and how informal settlement management aligns with broader municipal strategies.
Water is essential for everyday life, local businesses, agriculture, and the environment. In Mossel Bay, the availability and sustainable management of water are key to supporting a growing community and economy. This article outlines the current state of water security in the region, explains the underlying factors, and highlights practical areas for planning and community involvement.
Municipal NPCs: Useful Partners — or a Blind Spot in Accountability? A Non-Profit Company (NPC) is a legal entity incorporated under the Companies Act to pursue a public-benefit or community-interest purpose. NPCs cannot distribute profits to directors or members, but
Value-Added Tax (VAT) is a nationally regulated tax governed by the VAT Act and administered by SARS. Municipalities act as vendors for certain taxable supplies, but not all municipal charges are subject to VAT. Where VAT is applied incorrectly or without clear legal basis, it directly affects household affordability, business costs, and public trust. This article outlines the principles governing VAT on municipal charges and explains why clarity and proper classification are essential.
Public Participation Isn’t Optional: Why Ratepayer Voices Matter in Mossel Bay South African local government is built on a constitutional promise of accountability, transparency, and participatory governance. Municipal councils aren’t only responsible for making decisions — they’re also expected to
When Rates and Fixed Charges Outpace Incomes, Everyone Feels It Mossel Bay’s property rates and fixed electricity charges have reportedly doubled within a short period. That kind of jump is hard for households and businesses to absorb, especially when it
Understand the causes and consequences of river and estuary pollution — and why transparency, accountability, and action are urgently needed.
Waste management is a core municipal function, yet the status quo in Mossel Bay has reached a critical junction. The landfill — which serves multiple district municipalities — is approaching capacity limits, organic waste is being dumped with high levels of plastic contamination, and opportunities for local recycling, composting and revenue generation remain underdeveloped. Residents, ratepayers and local businesses are calling for a system that protects the environment, creates jobs, and sustains service delivery without burdening future generations.
Illegal land occupation is increasingly visible across Mossel Bay. While the humanitarian dimensions of housing scarcity are real, the absence of effective mitigation, enforcement and policy frameworks has allowed unauthorised settlements to expand with limited accountability. This places disproportionate financial, administrative and social burdens on ratepayers — who fund municipal services, infrastructure, policing resources and legal processes. This article lays out the root causes, local impacts, and ratepayer perspectives on unchecked illegal land occupation.
Urban development is often promoted as a pathway to growth, sustainability, and inclusion. In practice, when development proceeds faster than infrastructure funding, transparent costing, and enforceable developer contributions, the financial burden does not disappear. It is transferred. In Mossel Bay, this transfer has taken the form of rising rates and escalating fixed charges, placing long-term financial obligations on existing ratepayers. This article explains how and why that happens.
