The City of Cape Town has introduced a new innovative multi-language WhatsApp chatbot called ‘Hello-Rita!’ It is designed to assist qualifying residents with the renewal of rates rebates and indigent grant applications.
This innovative service is limited to renewals at this stage but is foreseen to expand to a full-service rates rebate and indigent offering in due course. Hello-Rita! is available in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa language, at present.
Recently, the City of Cape Town urges pensioners, social grant recipients and qualifying indigent residents who have been receiving rates rebates and indigent relief from the City to reapply now if they have not yet done so.
Those who need to reapply or renew, will be contacted via SMS or email from this week onwards with the link to an innovative new multi-language WhatsApp chatbot called Hello-RITA! It’s only for renewals, not new applications at this stage.
Knowing, how it works is the best part. So, Hello-RITA! renewals for rates rebate and indigent support, follow some steps, such as:
- The qualifying resident will receive an SMS or email message with their registered account number from this week onwards.
- They will be asked to click on the embedded link provided.
- The link will open to a series of prompts to enable the user to complete the re-application.
- The chat is open for 24 hours. If a user does not complete the application in this timeframe, they will need to start over.
- If they have all the required supporting documentation available, the application can typically be completed in 30 minutes or less.
The in between timespan also includes grace periods and cut off dates for applications. Note that, rates rebates and renewals should be done every three years after,
A New General Valuation, If;
Applied for renewal before July 01, 2026:
All pensioners and social grant recipients who applied for the renewal of their benefits before July 01, 2026 will continue to receive their discounts even if their applications have not been finalised yet.
After July 01, 2026:
The renewal application process must be completed before August 31, 2026. Until the application is approved, they will not receive rates discounts on their monthly municipal bill.
Applicants may send an email to apply. View a list of the documents required in English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans.
Considering the indigent support, if;
Applied for renewal before July 01, 2026:
Qualifying indigent residents who applied for the renewal of their benefits before July 01, 2026 will continue to receive their discounts even if their applications have not been finalised yet.
After July 01, 2026:
Apply for assistance before December 30, 2026. Backdating of benefits to July 01, 2026 will be considered for beneficiaries aged 60 years and older. Until the application is approved, the applicants will not receive indigent benefits on their monthly municipal bill.