50% rebate on BCC bills for pensioned-property owners

THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has said all pensioner property owners are eligible for a 50 percent rebate on their bills, without discrimination based on their employment history.

This announcement comes in light of a distressing incident involving Mr Neban Nyalenda, a 98-year-old former council worker who served for over four decades, having his water supply cut off due to an outstanding bill.

Mr Nyalenda of Zambian origin and a resident of Thokozani Flats in Mzilikazi suburb, was left helpless as he is bedridden with his son who is suffering from severe medical conditions.

The Chronicle reported the incident and brought it to the attention of BCC, forcing it to provide clarity on the matter.

BCC spokesperson, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu, released a written statement declaring that the council has a rebate policy in place for all pensioned property owners. The rebate holds good for 50 percent of the property tax/rates, and it can be granted to the property owner by a mere application to the council.

This announcement should bring comfort to countless pensioned property owners, who were probably unaware of the policy in place.

“Consumers are also free to approach any council revenue office to negotiate payment arrangement plans in order to avoid debt collection actions,” said Mrs Mpofu.

“The City of Bulawayo also conducts assessments on reported community members who are struggling with payments. The social welfare offices make a visit and produce a report that will enable the city to make a decision on the basis of the assessment made.

“This arrangement is to ensure their situation is not worsened and at best social support measures are instituted with partners to alleviate the situation. As indicated above, the disconnection teams do not disconnect where there is a sick or bedridden person,” she said.

According to Mrs Mpofu, BCC provides a social safety net to support families in need by providing 3 kilolitres (3 000 litres) of free water. Future considerations are made on a merit-by-merit basis.

However, recent news of the council disconnecting water supplies at Mr Nyalenda’s home has sparked criticism from city residents.

The Bulawayo United Residents Association (Bura) chairperson, Mr Winos Dube, expressed his disappointment at the local authority’s heartless and unscrupulous behaviour towards its residents.

Mr Dube described the treatment of Mr Nyalenda, who worked for nearly half of his life for the council, as inhumane.

“Council had at one time promised to waive elderly persons on certain obligations. Here we are talking of a 98-year-old man who also spent nearly half his life providing his labour to council and this is how they treat him?” said Mr Dube.

“They can’t show a human face to this? If you look at it, what would the council lose if this man were to be exempted from paying anything at all? This is heartless and mean,” said an emotionally charged Mr Dube.

Mr Nyalenda worked for BCC as a bioscope operator for 42 years; from 1952 until his retirement in 1994.

Narrating his ordeal from his bed, Mr Nyalenda said he now relies on borehole water from neighbours.

“They came here early this year and knocked on the door but because I am bedridden, I could not open the door. The next thing I realised there was no water coming out of my tap. The situation has been unbearable for me since then,” said Mr Nyalenda.

He said he has seven children and all but one are not staying with him while the only girl child was in Zambia. When asked why his children were not taking care of him, he shook his head before responding to the question.

“The one I am living with is not well too, just like me while the other six constantly say they have other financial obligations and their own families to take care of. Once in a while, I receive a bag of mealie-meal, especially from the one staying in Gwanda but generally, life is hell for me,” said Mr Nyalenda.

He said he used to stay in Mpopoma before moving to his present Mzilikazi residence in 1980 and had never reneged on his obligations to pay council dues on time.

A neighbour who has been assisting, Ms Samu Khumalo, said the situation had been bad already but was made worse by the disconnection of water supplies.

“As you can see, he is bedridden and needs to be assisted to go to the toilet and without water the situation is unbearable; sometimes he soils himself, which means blankets have to be washed,” she said.

Ward 8 Councillor, under which Thokozani Flats falls, Councillor Edwin Ndlovu, who is also the deputy mayor, said he had never heard of Mr Nyalenda’s predicament before advising that they visit social welfare offices at the Mzilikazi Housing Office.