Special Rating Areas

Communities across South Africa are increasingly turning to Special Rating Areas (SRAs) to improve security, cleanliness, and public space management. An SRA is a legally designated area where property owners agree to pay an additional levy to fund services beyond what the municipality provides. These initiatives have proven successful in cities like eThekwini (Durban) and Cape Town, leading to safer, cleaner, and better-maintained neighborhoods.

See the SRA Timeline

Why establish an SRA?

Many urban areas face rising crime, urban decay, illegal dumping, and poor municipal service delivery. An SRA allows property owners to take control, ensuring dedicated security patrols, CCTV installations, litter removal, and infrastructure maintenance. This leads to higher property values, improved business confidence, and better quality of life.

SRAs are community trusts, not another tax.

A Special Rating Area (SRA) is not another tax—it’s a community-driven investment in safety, cleanliness, and public space enhancement. The additional levy paid by property owners does not go to the municipality but is instead allocated to a community trust set up and managed by residents and property owners. The SRA does not replace municipal services but augments them, ensuring better security patrols, cleaning, and maintenance tailored to the community’s needs. This model gives residents direct control over how funds are used, creating a safer, cleaner, and more valuable neighborhood for all.

A timeline – How it works

To establish a Residential Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP) you need to adhere to a structured timeline to ensure compliance with municipal deadlines. These may differ from municipality to municipality, but the timeline below will give you a general idea of what needs to be done by when. Make sure you contact your municipality to understand their processes before embarking on the journey.

Special Rating Area Timeline