As part of the efforts to tackle abandoned/derelict buildings that are not attended to by owners and that degrade roads and precincts, the eThekwini Municipality has begun a process of implementing punitive rates penalties for these properties. If deemed non-compliant, the buildings’ category is changed to Abandoned, Unauthorised or Illegal Development / Use, at which point a 5 times increase to that property’s rates becomes effective. An extract from the Rates Policy of 2016/17 can be found here.