adminLOCAL authorities have been urged to exempt elderly people in rural areas from paying levies as they are a vulnerable section of the community.
Mangwe MP, Cde Obedingwa Mguni, told councillors from his area during a meeting that a group of elderly people had approached him pleading to be exempted.
“I was recently approached by a group of elderly people and one of them is an 87-year-old woman. They said they were struggling to raise money to pay rates.
“Therefore there is a need for local authorities not only Mangwe but others as well to look into their council policy as collecting levies from old people is unconstitutional,” said Cde Mguni.
He said elderly people were considered vulnerable under the department of social services and were receiving assistance from the Government.
Cde Mguni who is also Home Affairs Deputy Minister said collection of levies from such people further defeated programmes being implemented by the Government on assisting the vulnerable.
“Eventually, there is no coordination within the Government because it ends up taking back from the people that it’s assisting,” he said.
Cde Mguni urged the local authority to resort to income generating projects as a way of generating revenue instead of relying on collections from homesteads.
Chief Hobodo from Mangwe District said the elderly from his area were relying on food handouts, yet they were expected to pay levies. — HR.
Online Reporter