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defaul-ters.
Bindura Town Council is removing meters from houses of defaulters whom they accuse of illegally reconnecting themselves after they were cut off by council.
Chiwaridzo and Aerodrome suburbs lost at least 30 meters on Monday and Tuesday last week and council vowed to continue removing the meters. The 30 households no longer have access to clean water.
Bindura town clerk Mr Dean Amos Masawi confirmed that council was remo-ving the meters
He said only defaulters who illegally reconnected themselves were being targeted. Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo said the decision was illegal and it was punishment of the ordinary residents for council’s inefficiency.
“What they are doing is illegal. They should not use punitive measures as they have serious health consequences not only on the defaulters but the whole community.
“Local authorities should come up with payment plans other than punishing the residents. Even disconnection itself should be the last resort,” said Minister Chombo.
He added that the residents had the right to complain on council issues and municipalities should understand them and treat them well. Minister Chombo said most of the said meters were not even working.
Minister Chombo’s deputy, Sessel Zvidzai also condemned the MDC-T led municipality’s decision describing it as “local government terrorism”.
“That is local government terrorism. We do not allow that. Government is very clear on the water issue. Clean water is a basic human right and by cutting off defaulters, everyone would be affected considering the likelihood of cholera and other related disease outbreaks.
“Councils should engage residents and work out payment plans other than destroying property,” said Deputy Minister Zvidzai.
However, Mr Masawi defended the municipality’s actions saying it was the only way to recover the money.
“We disconnected defaulters last week and barely a week after, council learnt that several defaulters had illegally reconnected themselves without paying.
“If reconnection is not done with expertise there would be water leakage that costs council a lot of money,” said Mr Masawi.
He said it was an offence in terms of the council by-laws for people to tamper with water pipes.
“Residents should simply respect their local authority by observing the law. Some of them have not been paying their bills for up to 43 months.
“As council, we have some financial obligations to meet. Zinwa wants US$149 000 from us and we owe Zesa US$317 000.
“We do not have an option but to come up with measures to ensure residents pay up,” said Mr Masawi.
Mashonaland Central Resident Minister and former Bindura mayor Advocate Martin Dinha, said the move was illegal and tantamount to vandalism of property.
“It is illegal to remove water meters from houses. Residents paid for the purchase and installation of that equipment and what council is doing is mere vandalism.
“Council should come up with alternative effective measures to ensure residents pay their bills and not vandalising property,” said Adv Dinha.
Adv Dinha said he would engage coun-cil over the issue this week.
“Next week I will meet council over the issue. They should come up with some measures that do not disadvantage residents and at the same time, residents should pay up their debts for council to function,” he said.
Harare lawyer Mr Terrence Hussein said the removal of water meters was illegal.
“No one is allowed to take the law into his or her own hands. Such removal of water meters can only be legal when councils are in possession of a court order to that effect.
“Without a court order, the removal of meters is unlawful,” said Mr Hussein.
Online Reporter