Politics
Jordaan City Council Approves 2026 Infrastructure Levy Adjustment, Residents Face First Billing Changes in January 2027
The measure sets a 2.8 percent increase in the municipal infrastructure levy, with the first adjusted payments due for property owners in Jordaan's six wards from the January 2027 billing cycle.
How we reported this
The Jordaan City Council voted 9-4 on July 8 to adopt the revised infrastructure levy schedule under the 2026 Municipal Finance Act. The change applies to all rateable properties across the city's six wards and takes effect with the first quarterly bills issued after 1 January 2027.
Why the adjustment was considered now
Council records show the decision follows the annual review of the five-year capital works plan released on 30 June. That document identified a 4.1 million euro shortfall in road and drainage reserves for the 2027 financial year. The levy adjustment is projected to raise an additional 1.9 million euros annually, according to the finance department's attachment to the meeting agenda.
Property owners in the northern wards of Jordaan will see the largest absolute increases because those areas contain the highest concentration of commercial and multi-unit holdings. A typical single-family residence assessed at 285,000 euros will pay an extra 47 euros per quarter once the new rate applies.
Timeline for residents and local services
The first visible service change tied to the levy is scheduled for March 2027, when contractors begin resurfacing 4.2 kilometres of collector roads in the West Jordaan and Central Market precincts. Utility connection upgrades at the Jordaan Community Health Centre are listed for completion by September 2027 under the same funding package.
Local advocates note that the legislation states quarterly instalment notices must be mailed at least 30 days before the due date. This means households will receive their initial adjusted notices in early December 2026, allowing time to adjust payment plans through the council's online portal.
The government says the policy will maintain current service levels for waste collection and street lighting without further general rate rises through 2028. Council staff will publish quarterly progress reports on the capital works dashboard beginning in April 2027.