Author: Chantel Edwards

Public Inspection and Objection Period: 5 November 2026 – 8 January 2027

George Municipality informs all property owners and residents that the 2026 General Valuation Roll has been completed and is available for public inspection from 5 November 2026 until 8 January 2027.

The General Valuation Roll contains the municipal valuations of all registered properties within the Greater George municipal area. These valuations are used as the basis for calculating property rates payable to the Municipality.

CHECK YOUR VALUATION BY 8 JANUARY 2027
Property owners are encouraged to check their valuations and ensure that the information and values assigned to their properties are correct.

• Inspection period: 5 November 2026 – 8 January 2027
• Online access: George Municipality – Valuation Documents
• Objection submissions: george.objections@ddp.co.za
• Property owners can also visit the municipal offices for assistance.

WHY ARE PROPERTIES BEING VALUED?
The Municipal Property Rates Act, 2004 (Act 6 of 2004), requires municipalities to conduct general property valuations to ensure that properties are valued fairly and consistently.
The 2026 General Valuation Roll reflects the market value of properties as at 1 July 2026, regardless of when the valuation is inspected or published.
The valuation process covers approximately 57 000 properties across the Greater George area, including residential, agricultural and commercial properties.

HOW WAS THE VALUATION PROCESS CONDUCTED?
George Municipality appointed DDP Valuers (Pty) Ltd to undertake the general valuation process, using aerial photographs, available property information, physical site visits where required, neighbourhood inspections and an analysis of property market information and comparable sales. These methods were used to assess properties and ensure that valuations reasonably reflect market values as at 1 July 2026.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CHECK YOUR PROPERTY VALUATION?
Property owners are encouraged to check their valuations to ensure that the information is correct and that the assigned value reasonably reflects what the property would have sold for on the open market as at 1 July 2026.
An increase in property values in an area does not automatically mean that every property’s valuation has increased correctly. If you believe your property has been incorrectly valued, you have the right to lodge an objection during the prescribed period.
A property’s valuation directly influences the amount of property rates payable. It is therefore important that property owners participate in the process to ensure that their properties are fairly and accurately valued.

HOW WILL THE NEW VALUATION AFFECT MY PROPERTY RATES?
The new General Valuation Roll will be implemented with effect from 1 July 2027 and will be used as the basis for calculating property rates for the 2027/2028 financial year.
Property rates are calculated by multiplying the rateable value of a property by the applicable rate-in-the-rand (cent-in-the-rand) tariff determined by Council.
When the new valuation roll is implemented, the Municipality will consider the overall increase or decrease in property values across the Greater George municipal area when determining the applicable rate-in-the-rand tariffs.

An increase in an individual property’s valuation does not automatically mean that its property rates will increase by the same percentage. Therefore, the property tax payable will not increase by the same percentage as the valuation of the property – the final rate in the Rand is yet to be determined – and will be adjusted to balance the overall impact on property owners.

For example, if a property’s valuation increases by 20%, the rate-in-the-rand tariff may be adjusted to moderate the impact of the higher valuation. However, the actual adjustment will depend on the overall valuation changes, the Municipality’s revenue requirements and the approved annual budget.

The final rate-in-the-rand tariffs for the 2027/2028 financial year have not yet been determined. These will be considered as part of the Municipality’s annual budget process in 2027,  and will be subject to Council approval and public participation.

The actual rates payable by individual property owners will depend on:

• The new valuation assigned to their property.
• The applicable rate-in-the-rand tariff approved by Council.
• The property category and applicable rates policy.
• Any rebates, exemptions or reductions for which the property owner qualifies.

Property owners should therefore note that the new valuation alone does not determine the final monthly rates payable. The approved tariff, together with the new property valuation, will determine the actual amount charged from July 2027.

The Municipality will communicate the approved tariffs and their financial implications once the budget process has been finalised.

HOW LONG WILL THE NEW VALUATION REMAIN IN EFFECT?
The 2026 General Valuation Roll will take effect on 1 July 2027 and remain in force for the prescribed three-year period, subject to supplementary valuations as provided for in the Municipal Property Rates Act.
The rate-in-the-rand tariff, however, is reviewed annually through the Municipality’s budget process. Property rates may therefore change from year to year, even if a property’s valuation remains unchanged. 

WHAT IF I DISAGREE WITH MY PROPERTY VALUATION?
If you believe that your property has been incorrectly valued, you have the right to lodge a formal objection during the public inspection and objection period.
An objection should be lodged if you believe that the valuation does not reasonably reflect the market value of your property as at 1 July 2026.

 Objections must:

• Be submitted within the prescribed period, ending 8 January 2027.
• Relate to a specific property and its valuation.
• Clearly state the reasons for disputing the valuation.
• Be submitted via email to george.objections@ddp.co.za.

Supporting evidence, such as comparable property sales, an independent valuation, relevant property details or other information, may be included to substantiate the objection. Objections must relate to an individual property and cannot be lodged against the General Valuation Roll as a whole. Late objections will not be considered, so property owners are encouraged to submit their objections before the closing date of 8 January 2027.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER AN OBJECTION IS SUBMITTED?
All objections received within the prescribed period will be investigated and considered in accordance with the Municipal Property Rates Act.
Following consideration, the property’s valuation may be confirmed, reduced or increased, and the outcome will be communicated to the objector. Property owners who remain dissatisfied with the outcome may lodge an appeal in accordance with the prescribed legislative process.

NEED MORE INFORMATION?
For assistance or further enquiries regarding the General Valuation Roll and the objection process, please contact:

George Municipality – Valuations Section
Telephone: 044 801 9111
Website: www.george.gov.za

YOUR PROPERTY. YOUR VALUATION. YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE.
George Municipality encourages all property owners to take an active interest in the General Valuation Roll. By checking your property’s valuation and raising any concerns within the prescribed period, you contribute towards a fair, accurate and equitable property rating system for the Greater George area.

Make sure you check your valuation before 8 January 2027!

When an emergency happens, every second counts. George Municipality has compiled the most important emergency, municipal and essential service contact numbers into one convenient guide, making it easier for residents and visitors to get the right help quickly.

Whether you need to report a municipal fault, call for emergency assistance or access other essential services, the right number is always within reach.

Save it to your phone, print a copy for your home or workplace, and keep it where everyone can find it. Being prepared today can make all the difference tomorrow!

PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF EXTENSIVE OUTAGE FOR A PORTION OF GEORGE –PACALTSDORP, DELVILLE PARK, REIGERPARK, HANSMOESKRAAL, LE-GRAND, OUBAAI, HEROLDS BAY & BREAKWATER BAY_scheduled for 31 July 2026

George Municipality is holding a Special Virtual Council Meeting, today 27 July 2026 starting at 10.30am

Please find the link to our You Tube Channel below 👇

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George Municipality is aware of concerns and various untruths being raised regarding indigent support benefits. As part of the Municipality’s Council approved Indigent Policy, indigent registrations are subject to ongoing verification and review to ensure that public funds and Equitable Share allocations are directed to households that meet the qualifying criteria approved by Council. The policy specifically allows for annual re-applications and continuous verification of indigent registrations.

During a recent verification process, a number of records were identified where qualification requirements could not be confirmed. Examples included missing supporting documentation, expired applications, unverifiable income information, ownership-related exceptions, or other instances where the Municipality was unable to confirm continued eligibility in terms of the approved policy.

Where eligibility could not be confirmed, indigent support was suspended. This does not prevent affected residents from re-applying or providing the outstanding documentation for reassessment.

Importantly, the Municipality remains fully committed to supporting qualifying indigent households. In fact, the 2026/27 Indigent Policy introduced increased income thresholds linked to social pension levels, enabling more households to qualify for assistance than in previous years.

The Municipality acknowledges that any interruption of indigent benefits may cause concern or financial pressure for affected households. For this reason, the Municipality commenced a comprehensive indigent registration and awareness campaign on 2 June 2026, which will continue until 14 July 2026. Through this outreach programme, municipal officials are visiting communities across George and the wider municipal area to assist residents with new applications, annual renewals, the submission of outstanding documentation and enquiries regarding their indigent status. These outreach sessions, held at community venues during the evenings, have been specifically arranged to make the registration process as accessible as possible to qualifying households.

Residents who believe they were incorrectly removed from the indigent register are encouraged to visit any municipal office so that their circumstances can be reviewed as quickly as possible. George Municipality remains committed to administering the indigent support programme fairly, consistently and in accordance with the Council-approved policy, while ensuring that available public resources reach the households for which they are intended.

George Municipality wishes to inform consumers that Ontec, one of the service providers for prepaid electricity vending, is currently experiencing a technical issue affecting prepaid electricity purchases made via ABSA banking platforms only
.
Only ABSA clients may experience difficulties when purchasing prepaid electricity through their bank. These customers are advised to use an alternative vending platform or purchase directly via the Ontec Energy Insight portal: https://home.ontec.co.za/EnergyInsight/index.html.

Ontec is working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience.

George Municipality wishes to inform consumers that Ontec, one of the service providers for prepaid electricity vending, is currently experiencing technical issues affecting electricity purchases made through certain banking platforms, particularly Absa.

Consumers who experience difficulties purchasing prepaid electricity through their bank are advised to use alternative vending platforms or purchase directly via the Ontec Energy Insight portal: https://home.ontec.co.za/EnergyInsight/index.html.

Ontec is working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience.

JUNE 2026 Newsletter Now Available – Ensure You’re Up to Date on Approved Budget Matters and Water Restrictions
JUNIE 2026 Nuusbrief Nou Beskikbaar – Bly Op Hoogte van Goedgekeurde Begrotingsaangeleenthede en Waterbeperkings

https://www.george.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/GM-NEWSLETTER-VOL-82-JUNE-2026.pdf

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Level 2B Water Restrictions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | Vlak 2B-waterbeperkings: Gereelde Vrae (GV)

George Municipality has published an updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document as part of its ongoing Water Conservation Campaign. | George Munisipaliteit het ‘n opgedateerde dokument met Gereelde Vrae (GV) gepubliseer as deel van sy voortgesette Waterbesparingsveldtog.

The FAQ provides clear information on the current water situation, the recently eased Level 2B Water Demand Management Measures, and the lifting of Level 3 Emergency Water Tariffs. | Die dokument verskaf duidelike inligting oor die huidige watersituasie, die onlangs verslapte Vlak 2B-waterverbruiksbestuursmaatreëls, asook die opheffing van die Vlak 3-noodwatertariewe.

The document also explains why certain restrictions remain in place despite the recent recovery of dam levels and outlines how residents, businesses, and institutions can continue using water responsibly to protect George’s long-term water security. | Die dokument verduidelik ook waarom sekere beperkings steeds van krag bly ten spyte van die onlangse herstel in damvlakke, en sit uiteen hoe inwoners, besighede en instellings water steeds verantwoordelik kan gebruik om George se langtermyn-watersekerheid te beskerm.

Residents, businesses, media, and stakeholders are encouraged to read the full FAQ here. | Inwoners, besighede, die media en ander belanghebbendes word aangemoedig om die volledige dokument hier te lees.

For more information on water restrictions and water-saving tips, visit the link below. | Vir meer inligting oor waterbeperkings en wenke om water te bespaar, besoek die onderstaande skakel.

Follow this link for all three languages / Volg hierdie skakel vir al drie tale:
https://www.george.gov.za/george-document/gm-2b-water-restrictions-english_afrikaans_isixhosa/

On Tuesday, June 16, 2026, a road will be closed to traffic at the corner of Union and Hope Streets in the western direction from 8:00 AM to 16h00 for repairs on the sewer network. Only the eastbound lane will remain open.