adminCouncillors clash over rates
Chronicle Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council yesterday held a no-holds barred meeting, which saw councillors disagreeing on the move to increase charges for some of its services.
This is despite the fact that the local authority has already approved a $188 million 2012 budget that proposes tariff and service charge increases.
Tension gripped the Council Chambers during the meeting which was the first full council meeting for the year when the Mayor, Councillor Thaba Moyo, in his opening remarks warned that council would adopt a tough stance against residents who defaulted on payment of bills for the different service charges.
At the moment the city council is owed about $60 million in unpaid rates and service charges by residents, Government departments and businesses.
Clr Moyo admitted that service delivery in the city was almost at its knees and warned that council would deal ruthlessly with defaulters.
“This year we are going to do the unusual. We just have to be unpopular. The message we are sending is that sizabababi okumangalisayo (we will be tough) on defaulters and those who illegally dump refuse.
Zesa gears for pre-payment meter project
Chronicle Reporter
ZESA Holdings has embarked on a pilot project to install pre-payment meters at strategic places as it gears up for the massive installation of pre-payment meters countrywide estimated to cost millions of dollars.
The power utility is waiting for the State Procurement Board to award the tender to a company that will supply 600 000 pre-payment meters.Zesa spokesperson, Mr Fullard Gwasira, said in response to questions from
Chronicle yesterday that as a pilot project, pre-payment meters were being installed at strategic places as Zesa gears up for this massive exercise.
“This exercise we are doing is meant to complement the service provider that will be awarded the tender by the State Procurement Board once the process of selecting a provider has been finalised,” Mr Gwasira said.
He said the pre-payment meters will enable customers to manage their electricity consumption thereby controlling their costs. Mr Gwasira said the new system will improve electricity consumers’ budgeting.
He said once the State Procurement Board awards the tender to supply the pre-payment meters, the new system will be rolled out countrywide.
Rural teachers to get new allowances
Harare Bureau
RURAL teachers will get 20 percent of their gross salaries as an allowance to cover incentives, which their urban counterparts receive monthly from parents and guardians.
Most rural teachers are not getting incentives, creating a huge gap in earnings between them and their urban counterparts.
Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart yesterday said they were working with other stakeholders, including the Ministry of Finance, on modalities of paying the allowance.
“The matter has been discussed in Cabinet and all the colleagues (ministers) were sympathetic with the rural teachers,” Minister Coltart said.
“We agreed that Government should deal with the imbalances existing between urban and rural teachers and the solution lies in a rural allowance for the educators.
Man faces eight counts of robbery
Court Reporter
A 29-year-old alleged serial robber has appeared in court facing eight counts of robbery and two counts of housebreaking.
Brezhnev Maphosa, of 1632 Old Luveve is suspected to be part of a gang that has been terrorising farmers in Matabeleland South where they would rob them of cash, cellphones, groceries and other valuables .
Maphosa, who is denying the charges, appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate, Mr Owen Tagu yesterday.
EDITORIAL COMMENT: Govt should descend heavily on defiant schools
Schools open on Tuesday for the first term amid confusion regarding Government position on fees and levies. According to the story we published yesterday, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart said Cabinet had ruled that there will be no tuition fees review at all government schools this term.
Indigenisation — genuine engine for economic growth
By Garikai Chengu
African hero Samora Machel once remarked that come voting day “people do not eat democracy, ideals and human rights. They eat food, schools and clinics”.
One hopes that the MDC-T will realise that people cannot eat “change”.
Worldwide economic crisis to hit Africa hardest
By Jeff Madzingo
THE global financial turmoil has dominated the international agenda for a couple of years now and there is hardly a clear way out of the crisis.
Family Faith record second album
Entertainment Reporter
SOLUSI University-based gospel outfit, Family Faith, have made a follow-up to their debut album Ask, Seek and Knock by releasing a second 12-track collection.
Dr Conrad Murray to return medical licence
Los Angeles — Michael Jackson’s former doctor, convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the singer’s 2009 death, has been asked by the California Medical Board to return his licence, an official said on Tuesday.
Gori flies Zim flag in Malaysia
By Auxilia Katongomara
OUTGOING Miss Bulawayo, Nadia Gori, leaves the city’s coveted throne in style after finishing in the top five of the Miss Tourism International Pageant, Miss Talent category on New Year’s Eve, in Malaysia.
The pencil-slim Gori who is the reigning Miss Talent 2011 took her talent abroad where she was the only black contestant in the pageant.