Chronicle EditorBlessings Chidakwa Midlands Correspondent
Gweru City Council has given residents and companies a one-month ultimatum to settle their bills, failure of which it will attach property to recover $55 million owed. Gweru Town Clerk Ms Elizabeth Gwatipedza said in a statement that residents and clients could come forward and make payment plans.
“All residents and clients who have been served with summons and those who have outstanding bills to council are urged to urgently approach council and make payment plans on or before the November 30 2017,” she said.
“Those who fail to do so by the stated date risk attachment and auctioning of their valuables without further recourse. Residents and all clients are urged to take this notice seriously.”
The decision comes after a series of demonstrations by the Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA), which opposed the attachment of residents’ properties for non-payment of bills.
The association spokesperson Cornelia Selipiwe yesterday applauded council for proposing a payment plan.
“All along we have been advocating for payment plans from council, so by allowing residents to do payment plans we are very grateful, we are now on the same page,” he said.
Mr Selipiwe said the move to attach property for residents or engaging the legal route was inhumane given the economic challenges that the residents were facing.
“We feel if council engages lawyers or attach property it is just a ploy to accrue a lot of money from the already suffering residents,” he said.
“If residents are failing to clear their debts, it’s not logical to make them pay the debt, including the penalty.”
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