Hwange sues defaulters
TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO
The Hwange Local Board is suing ratepayers who are owing the local authority more than ZWL$200m in unpaid tariffs, Business Times can report.
The move could result in some residents having their properties auctioned by the Messenger of Court.
“… our lawyers are in the process of taking legal action against some defiant rate payers after we have taken all steps necessary in our bid to recover what is owed to us. The residents owe us ZWL $200m,” public relations officer, Dumisani Nsingo, told Business Times.
He said those that are likely to be taken to court have not taken heed of the numerous initiatives “we undertook to engage them to settle their outstanding bills some of which exceed over 120 days with some going over a year”.
“The delay in payment of rates by these rate payers has affected our efforts to efficiently and effectively deliver service. It has also impacted negatively on our efforts to pay statutory obligations and salaries,” Nsingo said.
Greater Whange Residents Association coordinator Fidelis Chima said the residents were struggling to meet their needs as they were not exempt from the tough economic environment.
“However, we still think it is not a good decision by the local authority to take us to court. Probably before they take us they should exhaust all the ways to make residents pay. They should talk to residents and maybe suggest the payment plan system that would be ideal for the two parts,” Chima said.
Meanwhile, Bulawayo City Council is also struggling to recover more than ZWL$2.1bn owed by rate payers.
It also owes creditors ZWL$1.8 bn.
The local authority owes power utility ZWL$1.3bn, employees ZWL$200m, the Local Authorities Pension Fund ZWL$100 m, trade creditors ZWL$67m as well as substantial amounts to several other institutions.
In May this year, councillors in Bulawayo castigated the local authority’s finance committee and department for charging high water bills based on estimates that have resulted in residents failing to pay their rates.
They said residents in various parts of Bulawayo have been complaining of huge water bills ranging from ZW$19 000 to ZWL$30 000.
