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Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Correspondent
A tussle between Harare City Council and Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) holdings has reached alarming levels as council is set to repossess all its buildings occupied by the power utility.
The buildings include Wynne Street offices, National Control Centre, Zesa Metering Section and Harare Thermal Station among others. The plan by the local authority to repossess its buildings comes at a time when the two service providers last year publicly traded barbs with Zesa demanding that Harare settles its debt while the latter demanded the same.
Zesa handed over a list of its creditors to Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi who urged mining, commercial, agriculture, domestic and local authorities (Harare included) to clear their debts which had accrued to over $1 billion. Harare Mayor councillor Herbert Gomba responded saying the power utility owed them over $135 million for rentals, royalties and way-leaves.
According to recent council minutes, Harare now wants to repossess its buildings under Zesa occupation.
“The Acting Chamber Secretary reported that the (City Valuer and Estates Manager) under the Finance Department was seized with the matter regarding the repossession of buildings from ZESA and as soon as that was resolved, council would take necessary action to repossess its buildings from ZESA.
“During discussion, the Committee agreed to refer the matter to the Finance and Development Committee to look into issues of repossessing the buildings and that of outstanding payment,” read the minutes.
More to follow…
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