Over 60 000 houses off the books: Commission

Trust Freddy-Herald Correspondent

Owners of 60 000 new houses in Harare are not being billed for rates by Harare City Council because the municipality lacks a comprehensive database for its billing system, leaving the financing of city services to owners of older properties.

The startling revelation came yesterday from Harare City Council’s Audit Committee chairperson Councillor Blessing Duma continuing to appear before the Commission of Inquiry into the running of Harare City Council affairs since 2017.

President Mnangagwa in May appointed the five-member commission, led by retired judge Justice Maphios Cheda, to probe matters of local governance, financial affairs and operations at Harare City Council.

Yesterday the commission heard 60 000 houses, despite receiving full services from the council and having approved plans, were not being billed due to the lack of compliance certificates.

This follows concerns that the council is approving plans for houses in undeveloped areas without water supply, sewerage and other essential services.

Cllr Duma told the commission that the billing issue has not been resolved yet, adding that the majority of recently constructed homes were not being billed.

“This affects around 60 000 houses, and the situation remains unchanged because, in the meetings I chair, none of the necessary actions have been implemented.

“If you refer to the minutes of 24 July 2024, they go into detail, including areas like Maranatha, where some properties are not being billed.

“Similarly, in Chadcombe, the majority of houses are not being billed. A house is built and completed, the planning process is finalised, and services are installed, but there’s no compliance certificate, so the finance department can’t account for them and bill the owners.”

The situation, Cllr Duma, said, did not benefit individuals on the ground but “someone who is up there,” within the council.

He also admitted before the commission that the council has a culture of secrecy over records adding that this was by design to protect corrupt practices.

However, this new information seems to conflict with earlier testimony from Harare City Council town clerk, Hosiah Chisango, who said that the city begins collecting revenue from any property as soon as it is regularised.

As it stands, council still lacks an adequate billing system which has made it difficult to have comprehensive accounts, proper billing and adequate auditing.

The non-functionality of a council billing system has reportedly become a burden to residents with some receiving a monthly bill of as much as US$800 monthly.