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Multimillion-Rand Debt Drowning Methodist Church
The financial crisis at the popular Methodist Church in Johannesburg is worsening, as it owes more than R10 million in rates and taxes to the City of Joburg. The church claims that it should be exempted from the payment as it is a place of worship, but the balance sheet paints a grim picture of the church’s financial management as reported by the Sunday World.
The documents show that the rates and taxes of the five properties owned by the church have skyrocketed due to non-payment of services. The church’s lawyer wrote to the City of Joburg, admitting the church’s debt of R10,021,185.92 and requesting that the properties be categorized as “religious properties.”
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The church’s debt has resulted from close to R5 million owed by the main church building, R4.7 million owed by another church building, and R330,000 by another church building. Two private homes have also accumulated more than R170,000 in unpaid rates.
The church argues that the debt increased due to accommodating victims of xenophobic attacks and the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Photo: Facebook / @Rev Ndumiso Ncombo
