Manzini’s Draft General Valuation Roll Now Available For Inspection
…get your valuation notice at your post office or the Council Rates Hall as soon as possible
The Municipal Council of Manzini has completed the first phase of the exercise wherein she was
conducting a general valuation on all properties located within the Manzini urban area.
Professional Valuers, G.S. Chiyanda, were engaged by Council to undertake the exercise
following an open tender procurement process. The General Valuation Roll is available for
public viewing at the Council Rates Hall from the 20th January to 20th February 2020 during
office hours.
A general valuation is an exercise wherein Council measures the values of all immovable
properties within the Manzini urban area including developed and undeveloped pieces of land
(plots). There are separate values for land and structures. It is also a tool by which Council
measures the city’s worth in economic terms. The valuation provides relevant data which is often
used for various purposes by Council and various institutions. An increase in property value
gives confidence to the owner regarding their investment whilst also assisting Council to levy
rates. The general valuation is a requirement of the law as contained in the Rating Act, 1995, and
is conducted every five years. It helps identify the economic trends that indicate positive or
negative changes which serve as a guide to determine whether the city is growing, stagnant or
regressive in terms of economic activity. These trends are one of the tools used to measure the
Municipality’s performance in terms of growth.
Council has already communicated the new property values to all owners of property in Manzini
by way of posting valuation notices in their post offices. Furthermore, Council has availed the
draft general valuation for viewing by property owners at the Council Rates Hall during office
hours. It is important for every Manzini property owner to read the notice pertaining to their properties
hence Council implores all Manzini property owners to check their post offices for the valuation
notices. In the event that, for some reason, you do not find the valuation notice at the post office
please do not hesitate to contact Council’s Rates Hall for assistance. It is vital for property
owners to ensure the details of their properties are accurate.
…YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT
The general valuation notice grants the property owner an opportunity to lodge an objection
regarding details pertaining their properties such as the size, location, land use and value. In the
event that the property owner disputes the particulars of the property as indicated in the General
Valuation Roll, they have the right to complete the objection form which is attached to the
valuation notice and submit it to Council on or before the 20th February 2020. The objection
form can also be obtained from the Rates Hall. In the form, the property owner is required to
clearly state reasons for the objection.
Thereafter, the property owner will be invited to appear before a Valuation Court in order to
motivate the objection. The court is a legal structure set up by the Ministry of Housing and
Urban Development and the presiding officer and his/her assistants are independent of Council
in order to ensure fairness to both the objector and Council. The Property Valuer is also invited
during the court sessions in order to justify the new valuation.
…OBJECTIONS NOT ALLOWED AFTER CERTIFICATION OF ROLL
Once the deadline for viewing of the General Valuation Roll and lodging of objections has
passed, objections concluded by the Valuation Court and the Valuation Roll certified by the
Ministry of Housing and Urban Development there shall be no room for objections. Property
owners are only given 30 days from date of publication of the notice (notice informing property
owners that the draft general valuation is available for inspection) to object. Once the deadline
has passed, the law does not allow acceptance of any objection. Therefore, it is vital that property
owners get hold of their General Valuation notices as soon as possible.
