admin
“Legal action is the last resort, but we have no option if people are not paying. We understand that the dollar is hard to find these days hence our calls for payment plans,” he said.
Mayor Masunda said they had been encouraged by payment plans but residents were not taking up the plan.
He said companies that owe the largest amounts are located in Graniteside, Workington and the Central Business District.
He said council was failing to recover US$230 million as more companies fold and cannot be traced.
Commenting on Government departments, Mayor Masunda called for “special” arrangements that would see council recovering their money.
ALSO SEE
Mayor Masunda said he was seating on “a hot seat” but would find solutions to problems bedevilling the city.
“We cannot cut them off because they offer critical services to the nation. But there have to be arrangements, which will see us getting something from Treasury.
“We are not singing from the same hymn and always blame each other, a development which takes us nowhere as a city.”
DISCUSS THIS STORY ON FACEBOOK
He was however, pessimistic about the recovery of the US$40 million owed by domestic consumers.
“We cannot even trace some of the people who owe us,” he said.
Mayor Masunda said the city owed creditors over US$50 million.
“We are standing on our own, with nothing coming from Government and that is why we need the revenue to settle our debts and ensure service delivery in the city,” he said.
Suburbs with the most affected people are Mbare, Mabvuku, Highfield, Tynwald, Kuwadzana, Tafara and Kambu- zuma.
Residents are not happy with council’s service delivery, mainly refuse collection, poor roads and street lighting.
Online Reporter