adminLovemore Zigara Midlands Correspondent
GWERU residents yesterday rejected the $32 million budget proposed by council, describing it as too ambitious and insensitive. They said the budget was unrealistic in times when most residents were failing to pay for some basic services.
The proposed budget is a 35 percent increase from last year’s financial plan which stood at $24,5 million.
Among some of the proposed increases was that of fixed water charges which increased from $3 to $5.
Usage of a single cubic metre of water will cost $0,80 up from $0,60 per cubic metre.
One resident at the budget presentation meeting said the increase in water charges would burden the ratepayers since they are finding it difficult to pay the current tariffs.
“We are finding it difficult to pay for the current water charges and how do you expect us to pay for the increases? Water is a human right and for you to increase the water charges it would result in massive disconnections as we will not afford the commodity,” said the resident.
Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) chairperson, Cornilia Selipiwe said he would lobby residents to reject the budget since people are going through trying times.
“This is an insensitive budget especially if you look at the state of this economy. People are failing to pay rates at the moment and if you increase them, you make it worse.
“There is no justification for this. This is a capital budget which should be funded differently from recurrent expenditure and as a residents association, we will call on the people to reject the budget on the basis that people do not have disposable incomes,” he said.
Gweru is owed over $33 million by residents, industry and commerce while it has debts of just over $24 million.
In his defence of the budget, Gweru City Council director of finance, Edgar Mwedzi, said some of the services have been increased so that council could undertake capital projects. These include the purchase of earth moving equipment, a fire tender, sewer rehabilitation, addressing the water supply situation in the city and the servicing of stands for Mkoba 21 suburb which is expected to cost $25 million.
“This budget is expected to address service delivery issues, which among other issues, will need to upgrade our sewer. Our sewer needs about $7 million for it to function efficiently but we will do it in phases and for next year we need to set aside $2 million,” he said.
He said there is also need to reduce the budget deficit from $1,024,969 for this year to an estimated $350,000 next year, a situation which he said is in line with international best practices on deficits.
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