Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
GOVERNMENT has approved Beitbridge Rural District Council’s (BBRDC) US$8,2 million revised budget for this year.
Initially the council had proposed a budget of US$5,2 million, which was reviewed upwards after receiving additional funding for devolution projects from the Treasury.
The additional allocation increased to ZWG124,8 million, an equivalent of US$4,9 million and is set to improve service delivery and steer development in line with the recently launched “A call to action” concept.
Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Dr John Basera, has since communicated the latest position to the local authority.
“The Minister of Local Government and Public works has in terms of section 47 (1) of the Public Finance Management Act chapter 22:129 approved the 2025 budget for Beitbridge Rural District Council,” said Dr Basera in a letter to the council.
Among other things, the ministry recommended that the local authority should improve on revenue collection, which will aid in clearing salary and statutory arrears and to continually engage with residents and ratepayers to recoup its debt to fund development activities.
The ministry also advised the council to embrace ICT and ensure that all ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) modules are utilised and that it will track progress in the first quarter of this year.
Acting Beitbridge chief executive officer, Mr Peter Ncube, confirmed the latest development yesterday.
“We have since received the communication from our parent ministry.
“We revised our total budget to US$8 296 611,03 after receiving an additional ZWG124 817 900, 00 an equivalent of US$4 992 716 in devolution funds,” said Mr Ncube.
“In terms of devolution projects, we intend to channel the money on the construction of waiting mothers’ shelters at selected clinics, clinic development, Lutumba Stadium construction, increase the development of water and sanitation programmes and the construction of more centres for Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres, among others.”
Presenting the budget recently, finance and audit committee chairperson, Councillor Luka Ndou, said they came up with the budget following extensive consultations with various stakeholders in all the 15 wards.
“The distribution on governance and administration, us$1 826 654,94 (34,62 percent), water sanitation and hygiene, us$209 825,97 (3,98 percent), social services, US$2 479 066,87 (46,98 percent), roads US$575 203,85 (10,90 percent), public safety and security services US$130 106,40 (2,47 percent) and natural resources conservation and management US$56 140,00 (1,06 percent),” said Clr Ndou.
“When compared to the 2024 budget, the total revenue for the 2025 financial year has decreased significantly. This is a result of a decrease in fiscal grant allocation. We expect to collect US$2 699 655,03 through levies, fees and service charges”.
He said the tariff income will finance 51 percent of the 2025 budget while the remaining 49 percent will be financed through external funding, particularly fiscal grants.
“You will note that the 2025 tariff setting is based on a cost recovery basis and, therefore, cost build up scenarios have been clearly articulated in this budget. Fines are, thus, robust enough to motivate ratepayers to meet their obligations to the Council,” said Clr Ndou.
“The council is not proposing to increase tariffs to avoid over stretching residents, but is introducing fines as per the two approved by-laws, that is, the advertising as well as the environmental and natural resources by-laws.”
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