A final draft of property tax legislation was ready for submission to the cabinet, says Provincial and Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi.

In reply to a parliamentary question from Pierre Uys, a new National Party MP, the minister said it was envisaged that the Bill would be promulgated before the end of this year. 'The Bill will be implemented at the beginning of the 2003 municipal financial year ... that is 1 July 2003.'

Mufamadi previously said that a Property Rates Bill would regulate property rates in accordance with the constitution and provide a uniform framework for the valuation of property for local rates policies, the levying of rates and for objections and appeals.

He said the broader community would 'have the opportunity to make imputs on the proposed legislation once the Bill has been tabled and presented to the portfolio committee in Parliament'.

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