TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO
Matobo district in Matabeleland South Province is struggling to pay employees on revenue as businesses struggle to pay rates due to the effects of the Covid-19, Business Times can report.
“The local authority has been severely affected by the Covid-19 induced lockdowns. Some businesses have been hit the hardest, resulting in them failing to pay rates. We have been affected to the extent that salaries are behind by a month. Councillors allowances are now also behind,” Matobo Rural District Council CEO Elvis Sibanda said.
He added: “We have statutory obligations that we are also lagging behind. So we have embarked on a programme to go out shop by shop as we try to collect rates.”
Sibanda, however, told Business Times that the council was financing the project using devolution funds.
“We have received ZWL$16 309 000 of which ZWL$14 678 000 has been committed towards the completion of Umlugulu clinic in ward 24 which is a resettlement area.
“People had to travel about 15km to a nearby clinic,” he said.
The clinic, Sibanda said, would be officially commissioned this year.
“It is expected that this clinic will be completed and commissioned in December this year.
We also have another clinic in ward 8. We hope to complete it again in December,” he said.
Sibanda said the community will be able to access health services through the devolution funds.
“The coming in of devolution funds is greatly assisting us to a larger extent,” he said.
