Penhalonga residents resist exorbitant council bills

SYDNEY SAIZE IN MUTARE

Residents in Penhalonga and Tsvingwe, situated about 20km north of the city of Mutare, are up in arms with Mutasa Rural District Council (MRDC) which hiked water rates to ZWL$20,000 from ZWL$500 per household,  a figure which is high for a rural community.

The residents told the Business Times they no longer afford to pay what they are being billed.

Westone Makoni, the chairperson of the Penhalonga -Tsvingwe Residents Trust said they had since notified MRDC that they cannot pay the new bills.

“As residents we wrote a petition to the MRDC challenging the hiked rates and informed them that we do not want to be confrontational but want dialogue,” Makoni said.

“On average the water bills are now pegged at between ZWL$5000 and ZWL$20 000 per household in this rural community”

Makoni said it was not fair that the council had hiked the rates despite assurances during the budgetary consultations held last year with the residents.

“It has come as a shock for the residents that we did not approve to have the rates raised to that level. On average households used to pay ZWL$500 for water and now it has shot 10 times more! It’s unbelievable to say the least.”

Former councillor Tsverukai Duwa said as a result of the hiked water, some households who have failed to pay up the increase have had their water supplies cut.

“People cannot afford to pay the raised water and supplementary charges and we have seen an increased number of households’ water taps closed.

Duwa said it is worrisome that the plight of the people of Tsvingwe and Penhalonga is falling on deaf ears despite numerous complaints to the council.

The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development Manicaland Coordinator Lloyd Banda challenged the MRDC to justify the massive hike.

“Being a resident of Mutasa I am not happy at all because if we look at the increased rates by the council we realise it is just there to get money without giving a service,” Banda said.

“The council recently bought a refuse truck and we expected the refuse charge to be reduced because prior to that they used to source out; fire levy is up as well, almost everything is up, yes we did a budget consultation but what we agreed is not what was implemented.”

Banda said there was need for accountability by the MRDC to the residents so they realise what they are paying for is being channelled towards a service delivery that satisfies a greater community of Penhalonga and Tsvingwe.

Penhalonga Youth Development Trust member Clinton Manyanga said it is insensitive on the part of the council to charge exorbitant bills while most people are out of employment.

“As youths we say no to the high water bills and will continue to make noise about it until we are heard, they must know that we have widows and child headed families around and they need support and not to be abused as is the case’’ Manyanga said.

Mutasa Rural District Council chief executive officer George Bandure was unreachable for a comment on the issue as his mobile phone number continuously went unanswered.