Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
HWANGE Local Board (HLB) has unleashed debt collectors on property owners who are not paying rates.
The local authority’s public relations officer Mr Dumisani Nsingo said the local board is owed more than $20 million by various rate payers. Mr Nsingo said the door-to-door exercise which started on Monday is targeting those who owe $5 000 and above and will be ongoing until all properties within its area of jurisdiction are covered. HLB covers Baobab, Chibondo and Empumalanga while other parts of town are administered by Hwange Colliery Company, Zimbabwe Power Company and National Railways of Zimbabwe.
Mr Nsingo said non-payment of rates has adverse effects on service delivery, payment of salaries and implementation of capital projects.
“Our debt collectors have since embarked on a door-to-door debt collecting exercise as part of our efforts to recover what is due to us in terms of rates.
“We have realised that a number of property owners have been absconding paying rates for quite some time and council is owed over $20 million as at February this year, “ said Mr Nsingo.
He said most of the property owners had claimed that they had been affected by Covid-19 and lockdown measures.
“Through this exercise we are according property owners an opportunity or a service to pay at their doorsteps using various forms of payments. Our team of debt collectors will not be confrontational while going about their duties and as such we expect property owners to be cooperative during the process,” said Mr Nsingo.
He said council accepts down payments and payment plans. Businesses operating without valid trading licenses are also being targeted.
“Zimbabwean law requires the licensing of certain trades and businesses and those that have failed to pay for their trading licenses within the stipulated period will be subjected to a penalty of 100 percent for each line of business for the lapsed year(s),” said Mr Nsingo. He said the local authority is worried about low revenue collection.
Mr Nsingo said the concern was also expressed by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works when it approved the Local Board’s $409 million budget for 2021. He said the Ministry instructed council to come up with effective revenue collection strategies in order to deliver services and work on billing efficiency. -@ncubeleon
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