Ons betaal nie sulke heffings nie.

Afrikaans normally uses a double negative structure.

So where English says:

• We do not pay such levies / fees

Afrikaans usually says:

• Ons betaal nie ... nie

The first nie comes after the verb in a basic main clause, and the second nie comes at the end of the clause.

This is one of the most important patterns in Afrikaans, so it is very normal here.

Basic pattern:

• Ek werk nie vandag nie. = I am not working today.
• Hy kom nie saam nie. = He is not coming along.
• Ons betaal nie sulke heffings nie. = We do not pay such levies.

In a simple main clause, the conjugated verb usually comes early in the sentence, and the first nie typically follows that verbal element.

So:

• Ons betaal nie ... nie

not:

• Ons nie betaal ... nie

This matches a common Afrikaans sentence pattern:

• subject + verb + nie
  • rest + final nie

Examples:

• Ek eet nie vleis nie.
• Sy verstaan nie Afrikaans nie.
• Ons betaal nie sulke heffings nie.

So the placement of the first nie is not random; it is tied to the position of the verb.

It can do both, depending on context.

Betaal is the present-tense form, but in Afrikaans the present tense often also expresses:

• something happening now
• a habit
• a general rule or policy

So this sentence could mean:

• We are not paying such charges
• We do not pay such charges
• We don’t pay charges like that

If there is no extra context, many learners should understand it as a general statement or policy.

Afrikaans verbs are much simpler than English verbs in this way. In the present tense, the verb usually does not change according to the subject.

So you get:

• ek betaal
• jy betaal
• ons betaal
• hulle betaal

The verb stays the same.

That is why ons betaal is correct. Afrikaans does not add an -s the way English does in he pays.

Sulke means such, that kind of, or those kinds of, depending on context.

In this sentence:

• sulke heffings = such levies / charges / fees
• more naturally in English: charges like that or that kind of charge

It is used before a plural noun here:

• sulke heffings

You will also often see it in sentences like:

• Ek hou nie van sulke mense nie. = I don’t like people like that.
• Sy koop altyd sulke duur klere. = She always buys such expensive clothes.

Afrikaans does not need a helping verb like English do for ordinary negatives.

English often says:

• We do not pay
• He does not know

Afrikaans simply uses the main verb directly with nie ... nie:

• Ons betaal nie ... nie
• Hy weet nie ... nie

So Afrikaans does not use a separate equivalent of English dummy do in this kind of sentence.

Heffings is the plural of heffing.

A heffing is a levy, charge, imposed fee, or sometimes an assessment, depending on context.

So:

• ’n heffing = a levy / charge
• heffings = levies / charges

This word is often used in official, financial, legal, or administrative contexts, such as taxes, service charges, import levies, or regulatory fees.

Because sulke already works like a determiner here.

In English, you also usually say:

• such charges

not normally:

• such the charges

Similarly in Afrikaans:

• sulke heffings = such charges
• not die sulke heffings

So the noun phrase is complete as it stands.

In standard Afrikaans, no. The normal form is:

• Ons betaal nie sulke heffings nie.

Using only one nie here would sound incomplete or nonstandard.

The two-part negative is one of the key features of standard Afrikaans grammar, so learners should get used to building negatives this way.

A rough guide for English speakers is:

• HEF-fings

Notes:

• The h is pronounced.
• The e in hef is short, like the e in bed.
• The ff is just a normal f sound.
• The ng in -ing- is similar to the sound in English sing, followed by an s at the end.

So approximately:

• HEF-fing(s)

Do not pronounce it like English heavings or heff-ingz.

Very often, yes, but not always in the simplest way learners might expect.

In this sentence it is followed by a plural noun:

• sulke heffings

That is a very common pattern when talking about things of a certain kind.

You will often see:

• sulke probleme = such problems
• sulke mense = such people

Learners mainly need to recognize that sulke points to a type or category: that kind of, such, like that.

The positive version is simply:

• Ons betaal sulke heffings.

That means:

• We pay such levies / charges
• We pay charges like that

So the negative is formed by adding the two nies around the rest of the clause:

• Ons betaal sulke heffings.
• Ons betaal nie sulke heffings nie.

Yes. Because of the word heffings, the sentence sounds somewhat formal, administrative, financial, or legal.

If the noun were more everyday, the sentence would sound less formal. For example:

• Ons betaal nie sulke pryse nie. = We do not pay prices like that.
• Ons betaal nie sulke fooie nie. = We do not pay fees like that.

But heffings suggests a more official type of charge, so the whole sentence can easily fit into business, government, or policy-related language.