SYDNEY SAIZE
IN MUTARE
Mutare residents have attacked the Mutare City Council for failing to attend to water pipes bursts which has seen some areas going for weeks without water exposing them to waterborne diseases, Business Times can report.
Residential areas affected are Chikanga, Aerodrome, Hobhouse and Dangamvura.
Edson Dube of the United Mutare Residents and Ratepayers Trust said complaints forwarded to the city council are rarely attended to.
Instead, the City Council prioritises buying expensive cars for its managers.
“It is worrying to note that the city fathers prioritise purchasing top of the range vehicles for their top managers disregarding key service delivery issues such as the provision of safe drinking water for its residents,’’ Dube told Business Times.
He added: “The city fathers take long to respond to calls for the repairing of burst water pipes and burst sewer pipes, which put the lives of citizens into jeopardy.”
Dube said it is disturbing that the city council decided to buy new vehicles for the acting town clerk and the housing director, money that could have been channelled towards water augmentation.
But Mutare City Council spokesperson Spren Mutiwi and Mutare mayor councillor Blessing Tandi justified the recent vehicle purchases stating they are in line with contractual obligations of the senior managers.
Tandi said the senior managers deserve to have the perks as they are part of the employment terms.
“There is nothing sinister with the vehicle purchases. The top managers still deserve to have the cars while the council still has to offer a service delivery that is top notch. As council we will always strive to do our best in serving the residents and also offer a friendly working environment for the senior management and other employees,” Tandi said.
Mutiwi said the council has always advertised through local newspapers and other social media platforms of challenges in burst water and sewer pipes so that residents are not taken off guard.
“We have always made it a point that we make residents aware of burst water and sewer pipes, and other issues such as refuse collection timetables as a way of making all and sundry know of the council position. In some instances we offer water bowsers to critical areas where water is needed,” Mutiwi said.
