Keetmanshoop losing out on taxes

THE Keetmanshoop Municipality has lost about N$3,6 million because of non-payment of property tax over the past 10 years.

Residents failed to complete the deeds of transfer of close to 472 erven bought between 1995 and 2005, Willie Kotze of the Keetmanshoop Investment Company told The Namibian. The Keetmanshoop Municipality recently enlisted the Keetmanshoop Investment Company to conduct a property survey to find out why its income from rates and taxes does not tally with the number of erven sold in the town.Kotze said an independent consultant was called in because municipal officials might be accused of overlooking certain irregularities.The investigation started in March and will continue for a considerable time, Kotze said.He said he had also found evidence of illegal water connections and people occupying municipal property without paying.Kotze said many people did not know that they had to complete a deed of transfer and pay tax on their property.This meant that they were not really the owners of the plots and were claiming ownership on the strength of a deed of sale that had never been completed, Kotze said.However, he did not rule out the possibility that inefficient municipal officers could have contributed to the problem.”During the signing of the property sale agreement, residents are not fully informed about the correct procedures,” Kotze noted.Kotze appealed to residents who had not yet completed their property deeds to do so before the end of the month, otherwise they could lose their plots.The municipality had no plan to deprive people of their property, but if buyers did not react within the prescribed period, it would be accepted that ownership rested with the municipality, he said.The Keetmanshoop Municipality recently enlisted the Keetmanshoop Investment Company to conduct a property survey to find out why its income from rates and taxes does not tally with the number of erven sold in the town.Kotze said an independent consultant was called in because municipal officials might be accused of overlooking certain irregularities.The investigation started in March and will continue for a considerable time, Kotze said.He said he had also found evidence of illegal water connections and people occupying municipal property without paying.Kotze said many people did not know that they had to complete a deed of transfer and pay tax on their property.This meant that they were not really the owners of the plots and were claiming ownership on the strength of a deed of sale that had never been completed, Kotze said.However, he did not rule out the possibility that inefficient municipal officers could have contributed to the problem.”During the signing of the property sale agreement, residents are not fully informed about the correct procedures,” Kotze noted.Kotze appealed to residents who had not yet completed their property deeds to do so before the end of the month, otherwise they could lose their plots.The municipality had no plan to deprive people of their property, but if buyers did not react within the prescribed period, it would be accepted that ownership rested with the municipality, he said.