adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Beitbridge Municipality has proposed a $8,5 million annual budget for 2019, which will see more resources being channelled towards service delivery and the transformation of the border town.
Finance director Mr Anymore Mbedzi told stakeholders last week that although the budget had increased from $6,1 million this year to $8,477 million in 2019, most rates and tariffs will remain unchanged.
He said after conducting a number of consultative meetings, they had reviewed some rates to maximise revenue inflows to municipality standards.
Mr Mbedzi said the budget had been drafted under the premise of the smart cities-recommended Programme Based Budgeting (PBB).
“As we seek to accelerate development and improve on service delivery, we have committed the bulk of the budget to capital expenditure,” he said. “In addition, we have pegged employees’ costs at $2 277 153,84, which translates to 30 percent of the line budget as per Government’s directive.
“Most rates and services will remain unchanged except for a few including bonded warehouses, bakeries, hardwares, supermarkets, mobile telephone substations, TelOne, casinos, fruit machines, fast foods, money transfer agents and banks among others.
“We anticipate to collect $8 477 052,80 and spend a total of $8 420 072. Our budget surplus is set at $56 980,09. Further to that $1 973 847,50 will go to governance and administration issues, $2,9 million has been allocated to water and sanitation issues, $2 million (social services), $850 000 (roads) and $663 138 on public safety and security.”
Mr Mbedzi said they had lined up a number infrastructure development projects related to the town’s transformation.
Some of the initiatives, he said, are the construction of a new primary school, stands servicing, new Dulivhadzimo bus terminus, setting up of modern flea market stalls, upgrading Dulivhadzimo Stadium, public lighting, upgrading sewer and water reticulation facilities, construction of a science laboratory at Vhembe High School, roads surfacing, formulating a Local Development Plan (LDP) and streets and suburbs renaming among others.
“You will note that we were this year upgraded to a municipality,” he said. “This comes with a huge responsibility and we are working on some projects to fit into that framework. One of the important issues is the construction of a new primary school to cater for our ever growing population.
“The town has been growing rapidly in the last decade, hence we must respond through the provision of quality services and modest amenities. It is also important that we re-organise the town in line with modern urban development’s trends.”
Mr Mbedzi urged residents and other ratepayers to pay their bills to ensure that the local authority remained viable.
Beitbridge Municipality recently scooped the Best Corporate Governance: Audited Accounts at the just ended Local Government Investment Conference held in Bulawayo.
Online Reporter