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Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter
Harare City Council is losing thousands of dollars in potential revenue to employees who are carrying out illegal water reconnections on defaulting consumers and some who are pocketing proceeds from the city’s markets.
According to the recent Finance and Development Committee minutes, councillors felt that the city’s financial challenges were attributed among other things to lack of robust enforcement and supervision of lower level employees.
“The committee raised concern on the conduct of some of water meter readers as they were allegedly being involved in illegal water reconnections on defaulting consumers,” read the minutes.
“It was the committee’s considered view that the matter be referred to the Human Resources and General Purposes Committee to consider coming up with effective ways of curbing such practices by the employees.
“The committee was recommending for the implementation of an effective employee rotation system among other measures.”
The committee also expressed concern that some employees stationed at the City of Harare’s markets were allegedly involved in revenue leakages.
It was the committee’s considered view that the matter be referred to the Human Resources and General Purposes Committee to consider coming up with effective ways of curbing such malpractices by the employees.
“The committee was recommending among other things for an effective employee rotation system.
“The committee felt that the city’s financial challenges were attributed among other things to lack of robust enforcement and supervision of lower level employees,” read the minutes.
“Heads of Department were urged to ensure effective enforcement and supervision activities within their respective departments.
“The committee noted with concern that revenue from Traffic Enforcement activities had drastically reduced.”
The committee while acknowledging the role of Traffic Enforcement felt that more revenue could have been realised taking into account the rampant non-compliance of traffic regulations by motorists in Harare.
The committee referred the matter to the Audit Committee to establish the reasons for the low revenue contribution by the division.
The attention of the committee was drawn to the need to audit and recommend improved strategies on the sector accounts that had performed well in the year 2016.
It was felt that council had to maximise revenue generation and collect from such operations hence there was need to enhance implementation of strategies currently in place.
The city’s actual collections for the year 2016 amounted $159,6 million while debtors stood at $606 million.
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