Ben Espach, head of valuations at Rates Watch, believes owners of other properties classified as “unpermitted use” for property rates purposes could insist on similar reprieve. The required rezoning, subdivision and township establishment never took place, but the metro council turned a blind eye for decades. “It creates the opportunity to move forward together [with the metro council] in the interests of everyone involved at Kleinfontein.” Rates policyEspach points out that Tshwane’s rates policy allows no discretion in the categorisation of property as “unpermitted use”. Moneyweb approached the Tshwane metro council for comment but by deadline had not received a reply.