Chronicle Editor
Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
KWEKWE residents have raised concern over the new rates that have been effected by the city council, saying they are out of reach.
The issue comes amid revelations that the local authority’s meter readers were not doing their job, hence residents were receiving water bills based on estimates.
The city council recently implemented the new tariffs following the adoption of their budget by the Government.
Kwekwe City Council acting finance director Mr Tapiwa Simbi said Government had approved their US$46 million budget, adding that the new tariffs were coming into effect beginning this month.
In October last year, the local authority revised its budget citing inflationary pressures and the review, which saw water tariffs increasing from US$0,12 cents to US$0,30 cents per kilolitre was done after consultation with the ratepayers.
In January residents received “shocking” water bills after tariffs were increased by more than 500 percent.
In the 2021 budget, water tariffs were hiked from $11,50 to $50,44.
Residents who spoke to Chronicle said this was not the time to increase rates given the lockdown restrictions.
“I was shocked when I received my current bill with $3 800 when we were used to paying around $400 or so per month.
“The timing of raising the tariffs by city council is misplaced. You cannot raise tariffs during this Covid-19 lockdown when we are struggling to fend for our families,” said Mr Tichaona Shava of Mbizo.
Another resident, Mrs Cathrine Moyo, also from Mbizo, said it was worrying how the water bills were being charged when meter readers were not recording.
Mr Searchmore Muringai, another resident, blamed political divisions within Kwekwe council.
“Kwekwe has 14 councillors and only one is under Zanu-PF, while four have remained under MDC-Alliance and the other 9 have defected to MDC-T.
“The defected majority abused their numbers to astronomically and unreasonably increase rates and pass a budget where residents had very little input if any,” he said.
“We last saw meter readers a long time ago. All we see are those who deliver water bills and refuse collectors, not meter readers. Council should stop playing with us. They should show that they are really at our service not to steal from us.”
Contacted for comment, acting town clerk Dr Lucia Mnkandla said council “only implemented rates as per approved budget”.
She said the water meter reading issue will be addressed.
“We have noted the matter of meter readers not doing their job and we take note and we will act on that,” she said.
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