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The Government’s directive for councils to write off residents’ debts that accrued between February 2009 and June 2013 came a little late for Mr Charles Mpofu. Mr Mpofu, of Enjingeni Flats in Makokoba in Bulawayo, defaulted on his water bill for some months last year. Soon city authorities unleashed a messenger of court on him who attached various pieces of furniture which were later auctioned to pay off his $300 debt. He complained at the time that the bill on which the attachment was based was unreasonably high and estimated, but council pressed on.
“The city council was not being honest in their billing system,” he said.
“I have been jobless since 2000 yet my property worth more than $1 500 was attached last year for a debt of $300.”
With the Government’s directive, he is happy that he has been vindicated, but is asking himself how many rate payers lost their properties to council that acted on bills they literally plucked from the air.
Outgoing Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister, Dr Ignatius Chombo, ordered the country’s 92 councils to discard the bills which he said were not only based on estimates, thus inaccurate but also that they were accumulated at the height of the economic challenges.
“Councils are directed to write off debts in respect of rentals, unit tax, and development levy, refuse charges and water and sewer fees as at 30 June, 2013,” he said.
“Similarly, amounts owed by residents in respect of rates since February 2009 stand prescribed in terms of Section 15 of the Prescription Act Chapter 8:11.”
The fees to be exempted include housing rentals, unit tax, development levy, refuse charges, water and sewer fees. Power supply authorities were urged to take similar moves.
Councils like Harare, Masvingo, Victoria Falls, Gwanda and Gweru have complied. Bulawayo, at some point interpreted the directive to mean a partial cancellation, but the Minister made it clear that it was a total write off.
Gogo Catherine Mpofu (70), a widow who lives in Bulawayo’s Makokoba suburb can now afford a smile after the Government order.
Had it not been for the Government’s intervention, she said, most people would be having sleepless nights fearing that their property would be attached by council.
“I was about to lose my property to the city council’s debt collectors only to be saved by the Ministry of Local Government under Dr Ignatius Chombo. We appreciate the move taken by our government in writing off debts. My water bill amounted to $400,” said Gogo MaMpofu who survives by selling unprocessed tobacco in the suburb.
“We were struggling to pay due to the economic challenges. We did not even understand why council charged us when we often did not have water in our taps. May the Government continue monitoring councils and protect us from being fleeced.”
Mr Enock Dube, a vegetable vendor at Renkini Long Distance Bus Terminus said:
“We have been overcharged by council for years. Their bills are unjustified. I hope this is going to be a thing of the past. We usually go for a week without water but my bills have always been high.”
The residents described the move as a step in the right direction taken by Zanu-PF which would soon form a government after it won the 31 July harmonised elections. Some people thought that the directive was a vote-buying gimmick, but the insistence of senior ruling party officials, including President Mugabe and Vice-President Joice Mujuru that the directive stands, shows that the promise would be met. Harare City Council is advising residents to only pay the “current” section of their bills and ignore the debts.
Mrs Edith Nkomo (56) of Old Magwegwe said the cancellation of debts will enable her to start on a clean sheet and become more responsible in paying up her bills.
“It’s better that the city fathers’ unjustified bills are cleared and I hope to start on a clean sheet and be able to pay bills that tally with my consumption,” said Mrs Nkomo.
Bulawayo United Residents’ Association chairman Mr Winos Dube commended Zanu-PF’s efforts saying scraping off the debts would bring relief to stressed residents.
He said the huge bills had induced frustration on ratepayers and accused the city council of using estimated readings in its billing system. Mr Dube expressed gratitude to the Government for coming in to rescue ratepayers and encouraged residents to start paying their bills timeously.
“Many residents have been stressed by the exorbitant bills and a majority of the people were rendered jobless due to economic factors that have affected the country in past years. This is a great relief for them. We also appeal to the Government to do the same to Zesa and TelOne and we pray and congratulate the victory by President Mugabe and Zanu-PF in the just-ended harmonised elections,” said Mr Dube.
Some residents took a swipe at the crop of MDC councillors in Bulawayo’s immediate past council whom they accused of not being sincere in representing their interests.
Mrs Laizah Zhou from Old Magwegwe said the cancellation of debts has reduced her burden as a widow who lives with her six children.
“I am failing to pay the water bill amounting to $400. I am a widow and my husband passed away a decade ago and left me with six school-going children. Certainly the debt relief by Government allows me to concentrate on school fees and food for my family,” she said.
Mr Khayisa Ndlovu (107) of Makokoba said since he retired he has not been able to pay bills.
“From that time I could not pay water bills because I did not have any source of income,” said Mr Ndlovu.
Online Reporter
Londile Moyo