adminMarvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
GWANDA Municipality has issued a final warning to residents to settle their water bills as it will soon start disconnecting defaulters to recover more than $8 million it is owed. Gwanda Town Mayor Councillor Knowledge Ndlovu yesterday told The Chronicle that following numerous efforts to recover the money owed, the municipality got no joy, and hence it was issuing a final notice for residents to pay or be disconnected.
“As the Mayor of Gwanda, I would like to make our last appeal to the residents before we take drastic measures to recover what we’re owed. It’s my last appeal to those owing the municipality, to come forward and make their payments or present payment plans so that we don’t engage in such drastic measures,” Clr Ndlovu said.
He said the “drastic measures” would see some defaulters being dragged to court and have their property attached.
Some may be locked out of their premises, added the mayor.
“We know the country is faced with economic challenges but residents should be aware that the municipality also needs to survive. Therefore, we’ll take the route of applying drastic measures as soon as possible,” said Clr Ndlovu.
“If residents pay up what they owe, we hope to reduce the challenges we’re facing. Currently, we’re failing to pay our creditors and we owe Zinwa alone $8million.”
In total, the local authourity owes its creditors, including Zinwa, $10,2 million.
Zinwa has been rationing water to the town for the past two weeks to pressurise the municipality to pay the debt.
The water authority is demanding $50,000 monthly payments, up from the about $30,000 the municipality had been paying Zinwa each month.
Gwanda Residents Association spokesperson Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo accused council of targeting residents only when government departments and companies were also defaulting.
Online Reporter