By a Correspondent
Gweru City Council has launched a massive debt recovery blitz against defaulters to recover a ballooning debt of ZWG1.2 billion (over US$40,000,000).
As part of tough measures to recover the staggering amount, the council has given defaulters a time frame of two weeks from the 16th to the 30th of this month to clear their arrears or face legal action.
The council has warned that council houses will be repossessed from tenants who do not settle their bills within 14 days.
However, the strict timelines have put the city council at odds with residents and ratepayers who are complaining the actions shut the door for negotiations with hard-pressed residents.
Gweru mayor, councillor Martin Chivhoko told a full council meeting that ratepayers’ unpaid bills are hurting service delivery.
“For better service delivery, we need revenue. Without money, it is difficult. We are left with no option but to take legal action,” Chivhoko said.
“Council house tenants have also been given 14 days to clear their bills, failure to pay within the two-week period will result in the repossession of the houses.”
Gweru City Council has already issued letters of final demand to ratepayers.
Meanwhile, David Chikore, the executive director of Gweru United Progressive Residents and Ratepayers Development Association (GUPRARDA) told this publication the two-week deadline is unrealistic and doesn’t allow room for negotiation.
“Two weeks is not enough time to clear a debt that has built up over many years.”
Chikore said, adding the time frame ignores residents’ current economic situation.
“If council wants residents to pay, it must first reach an agreement with them and consider the current economic situation in the country. Most residents are surviving through vending, operating from undesignated spaces, and constantly evading municipal police.”
Gweru Citizens and Ratepayers Association (GCRA) Executive Director, Taurai Mukarati said Gweru Council should prioritize payment plans and dialogue over legal action.
“We all should pay our bills. However, we need to engage the council on how we can pay. What we want is to see Gweru improving on service delivery,” Mukarati said.
Gweru City Council, just like many other local authorities across the country, is struggling with service delivery, a situation it says has been worsened by ratepayers’ outstanding bills.
The city requires around 125 megalitres of water per day yet only 62 megalitres reach residents’ taps – a shortfall of 63 megalitres every day. The city’s road network is also in poor condition. However, late last month Gweru City Council began rehabilitating roads in the Central Business District promising to extend the work to the entire city’s road network by August this year.
