Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke
Municipal Correspondent
THE City of Harare has become fully fiscalised following the rollout of its new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, Business Intelligence and Quality (BIQ), a development expected to improve revenue collection and make it easier for residents to pay for municipal services.
The new system brings the local authority into compliance with Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) fiscalisation requirements while enabling residents to make payments online as council moves to modernise its financial operations.
The development comes against the backdrop of the Government’s drive to improve service delivery by local authorities under the 2023 “Call to Action — No Compromise to Service Delivery” blueprint launched by President Mnangagwa.
The blueprint provides guidelines for local authorities to improve service delivery as part of the country’s broader drive to attain upper-middle-income economy status by 2030.
Revenue collection has remained a major challenge for local authorities, with councils carrying huge debtors’ books as they struggle to collect money owed for municipal services.
Harare acting finance director Mr Godfrey Kusangaya said the city was now fully compliant with fiscalisation requirements.
Mr Kusangaya said the implementation of the BIQ ERP system had also enabled council to introduce online payments, making it easier for residents to transact with the local authority.
“The City of Harare is now fully fiscalised, which means we are complying with Zimra,” he said.
“As a result of the ERP, all online payments have started for the ease of doing business.”
Council is now exploring the possibility of expanding its digital payment platforms to major retail outlets, allowing residents to settle municipal bills at supermarkets and other convenient payment points.
Mr Kusangaya said council was considering linking its payment platforms with outlets such as TM Pick n Pay and Simbisa shops, among other major retail outlets.
“Because of that, the city is now venturing into the possibility of extending all the online platforms so that people can also use payments at stores like TM Pick n Pay, Simbisa shops, among other big supermarkets,” he said.
The proposed expansion would give residents additional options to pay municipal bills without having to visit council offices.
The move is part of the council’s efforts to strengthen revenue collection and improve financial accountability through digital systems as it seeks to improve service delivery.
The BIQ system is expected to provide council with a more integrated platform for managing its financial operations while giving residents easier access to municipal payment services.
