adminHARARE residents and ratepayers, who religiously pay their bills on time, deserve quality service for their loyalty.
Short-changing rate payers, who pay their dues on time, is totally unacceptable and a betrayal from the city fathers.
Residents’ grievances need to be taken seriously since they pay rates in anticipation of efficient service delivery. Failure by the city fathers to meet their obligation has always riled loyal rate payers.
Efficient service delivery is the only solution, which can inspire residents to settle their bills on time.
Residents and ratepayers can also support the Council’s initiatives when they see positive results from the city fathers.
However, this has not been the case with the City of Harare, which has failed to address serious issues haunting residents for years.
Waste management is one of the critical issues the Council has failed to address.
Piles of uncollected garbage have made the city an eyesore.
Three weeks ago, Mayor Jacob Mafume told us that they were launching an ambitious operation to clear heaps of litter in Harare.
He launched a new operation code-named “Chenesa Harare,” which was aimed at clearing litter accumulating in most parts of Harare.
During the launch, he assured residents there would be an enforcement of anti-litter by-laws by the municipality.
He also mentioned that US$1000 shall be allocated to every district in Harare, per week, for the community based waste management programme.
Three weeks down the line, heaps of uncollected garbage are piling with no signs they will ever be cleared.
It appears the Council gives priority to other issues, such as commanding traffic, where revenue is generated.
However, waste management remains an issue of serious importance.
A serious health time bomb is looming in most parts of Harare without running water.
While the Council claims it is incapacitated and is appealing for residents to support their initiatives, they should not promise rate payers what they cannot deliver.
It becomes an insult when city fathers fail to discharge simple duties.
Clearing litter should never give the city fathers all this headache.
These are some of the basics they are failing to deliver.
Many are now doubting the Council’s capacity to address serious challenges like water supply, when they cannot clear litter.
At least, the Council should be able to perform some of these simple tasks.
Residents don’t deserve this betrayal.
While some residents in Harare’s affluent suburbs have devised other means to contain waste management, this is not the licence for the municipality to sleep on duty.
The city fathers need to simply make efforts to discharge their duties by fulfilling their promises and responsibilities.
Residents are now fed up with their empty promises, which have on many occasions riled ratepayers.
Loyal ratepayers should get value for their money while the Council should not sleep on duty.
Harare can only regain its Sunshine status if the city fathers revise their priorities and work on service delivery.
It’s such a basic thing it should never find itself in newspapers.
Online Reporter