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Freedom Mupanedemo Midlands Bureau
Kwekwe residents are up in arms with their local authority after tariffs were reviewed upwards by over 500 percent.
Business and residents said they were shocked to receive huge bills this month without any prior formal communication.
“I used to pay around $3 000 per month but I was shocked to receive a bill of $24 620 this week.
“When I went to the town house that’s when I was told that they have reviewed the tariff charges by over 500 percent based on a government approved 2022 budget,” said Mr Robert Tadiwa of Mbizo 9.
Mr Tadiwa said he has been struggling to pay council bills when they were pegged using the old rate.
Another resident, Mrs Samukelisiwe Shoko of Mbizo section 11 said she also recently received a shocking water bill.
She said the most worrying factor was that these bills were based on estimates.
“There are no meter readers and we are just charged based on estimates, so we can easily contest these shocking bills, which they are sending us.
“They should install water meters first and charge us actual bills than this nonsense,” she said.
Mr Jephias Makoni of Mbizo 15 said his area had not been receiving water for years, yet he was receiving ‘outrageous’ water bills.
“We last received water on our taps some years back, yet we continue to receive monthly bills which are outrageous, its not logical,” he said.
Acting Town Clerk, Engineer John Mhike said council has been using 2021 tariffs and has since effected the 2022 budget hence the new bills.
“In January we used the 2021 billing system but we have since effected the new 2022 budget tariff review, hence the outcry,” he said.
Eng Mhike said the local authority was working on installing water meters which he, however, said were in short supply.
“Council is in the process of procuring prepaid water meters to replace the non-working ones.
“However, the estimated charge was reduced from 30 kilolitres to 25 kilolitres for the year 2022 taking into consideration the residents’ sentiments that estimated charges were on the high side,” he said.
dyton mupawaenda
Online Reporter