Gweru stops property attachments

Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
DEFAULTING Gweru residents heaved a sigh of relief following the local authority’s decision to stop attaching their property for not settling bills.

Gweru City Council had taken drastic action against defaulting residents and scores of residents had their property attached by the Messenger of Court.

The local authority says it requires about $75 million every month to effectively deliver service to residents and institutions.

With residents’ debt ballooning to over $300 million from $240 million around January, some residents who owed council more than $70 000 had their property attached.

While the development was condemned by resident’s associations who felt that the local authority was insensitive to the ratepayers’ plight, the process had been going on until yesterday.

Some residents will on June 10 witness their property, mainly household furniture being taken under the hammer at an auction.

In January, council effected a 146 percent tariff increase in the approved 2021 budget, which resulted in residents receiving ballooning bills as well as final demand letters to settle debts.

Gweru ratepayers wrote to council requesting a 50 percent cut in rates arguing that they were struggling to settle their bills due to the effects of the Covid-19 induced lockdown.

The local authority last month shot down the request.

In an interview yesterday, Gweru mayor Councillor Josiah Makombe said the local authority had decided against attaching defaulters’ property following an outcry from residents and their related associations.

He said council was impressed by the surge in the number of residents who were coming forward to make payment plans to clear their debts.

Cllr Makombe said he didn’t have figures offhand of the number of residents who had their property attached.

“Yes, we have stopped henceforth attaching defaulting resident’s properties.

“We are a listening council and we are also considering the plight faced by the residents due to the Covid-19 induced lockdown,” he said.
Cllr Makombe said the council is owed over $300 million, a development he said is affecting service delivery.

“I’m told we managed to recover some money following the legal action we took to entice them to settle their bills.

“Hard as it might have been, some came and settled while others made payment plans,” he said.

Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) director Mr Cornelius Selipiwe commended council for stopping attachment of property.

“We are happy they are no longer attaching property, but this is coming a bit too late for others who had their property attached.

“Some will see their property going under the hammer as auction dates have been set,” he said.

Mr Selipiwe said the tariff hike is the reason why debts are ballooning, adding the council billing system is also allegedly in shambles hence the authenticity of the debts is always questionable.

“The relationship between residents and council will be further strained which is a disaster in terms of community development,” he said.

Gweru United Progressive Residents and Ratepayers Association director Pastor David Chikore said they have been engaging the local authority to find a win-win situation which doesn’t involve legal action.

“Council must find common ground with residents.

“Most people are in debt, not because they don’t want to pay, but because times are hard and there are competing interests for the meagre incomes,” he said.

“Times are hard for all and its time council adopts austerity measures in its internal operations.

“We have not made any progress on the negotiating front, so we have resolved to escalate our intervention to demonstrations and petitions.”