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Chronicle Writer
GWERU City Council (GCC) management and councillors were on Friday forced to postpone a residents 2023 budget review meeting as angry residents queried why they continue receiving high water bills yet they have no water most of the time.
The residents also queried why council was imposing a 15 percent interest on water bills when it was agreed that it should be scrapped.
Councillors in their 697th full council meeting made a resolution to scrap 15 percent value-added tax on their 2023 budget, arguing that the tax increment was unscrupulously added to the local authority’s budget without consultation.
The matter was again topical during the 2023 budget review meeting held at Gweru Theatre late on Thursday forcing management to postpone the meeting.
Acting town clerk Mr Livingstone Churu confirmed that the meeting was postponed. “The Gweru Theatre meeting was postponed to a later date. For more information contact out public relations department, that’s their duty,” he said.
Mayor Councillor Hamutendi Kombayi said councillors were not amused by how management was handling the budget and the 15 percent VAT on water bills.
“Members will recall that during the annual budget consultation meetings, we agreed that tariffs will be pegged in US dollars. We also agreed that the billing will be in local currency but at official exchange rate rate at the date of billing,” he said.
Cllr Kombayi said the problem started when the local currency started losing value against the US dollar.
“As council we bill on every 25th of every month. Like the last bill was done at a rate of US$1: $2 500, but on the due date, the rate was US$: $6 700,” he said.
Cllr Kombayi blamed management for not following council resolutions.
“Residents are being affected by the increasing rates. Management are not being loyal and they doesn’t respect us as councillors. In January we came here and we agreed to a static budget and management added 15 percent,” he said.
Cllr Kombayi said the reluctance of residents to pay their bills is a result of the local council’s failure to provide water.
Londile Moyo
Bongani Ndlovu