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Council is trying to recover about $62 million from residents and property owners in the city.
Residents have accused council of inflating bills to fundraise for salaries that it often pays late.
A resident of Magwegwe North suburb, Mr Wiseman Ncube (47), said $100 was mysteriously added to his account.
“As you can see, at the end of April, I owed $74,06. I was shocked to be told the money had shot up to $174,06 when I went to pay on 17 May,” said Mr Ncube.
He had receipts that showed he was left with $124, 68 balance after paying $50 on the day.
“I was further dismayed to get a bill for $149,83 at the end of the month. I asked officials at the Revenue Hall to show me print-outs explaining where the $100 came from, but they could not. They told me to bring my meter reading, instead. I do not see how that would help because they took the reading when they billed me,” said Mr Ncube.
His ordeal was not over. When he got home yesterday he found council workers disconnecting water supplies.
“These guys have a different bill, which shows that I owe $104 instead of the $149,83 that I was told at the Revenue Hall this morning,” he fumed.
A group of women from North End suburb were complaining about being billed three times for the month.
“Please do not publish my name. But look at these slips. I made bill enquiries three times during the month and I was given three different figures that increased each time. My friends here have the same problem,” said one of the women.
She had handwritten bill enquiry slips.
The first dated 6 May showed she owed $138,17, the second on 15 May showed $151, 38 and the third was for $185,88.
One of her friends said council should stop disconnecting residents until it put its billing system in order.
A number of residents were complaining about the same issue, in an enquiries queue at the Revenue Hall.
Contacted for comment, council’s senior public relations officer, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said 742 properties have been disconnected in the central business district (CBD), 5 742 in the low-density areas and 8 020 in high-density areas.
She said disconnected areas include the CBD, Hillside, Mahatshula, Bradfield, Malindela, Killarney, Glengarry, Riverside, Matsheumhlope, Whitestone, Mqabuko Heights, Mzilikazi, Makokoba, Nguboyenja, Thorngrove, Mpopoma, Matshobane, Pelandaba, Mabutweni, Iminyela, Magwegwe and Old and New Lobengula.
“The exercise is on-going and will continue everyday of the year. It is one of the many tools council is using to recover amounts owed,” said Mrs Mpofu.
“The disconnections are a way of reminding people to honour their obligation to the city council, for services that they receive. The money that is going to be raised will be channelled towards improving service delivery, which we cannot provide if consumers do not pay for their bills.”
However, by the end of the day yesterday, she was still to respond to the triple billing issue.
The Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association has in the past said most residents were struggling to clear their arrears because the bills were just outrageous.
The association called on council to write-off some of the bills because residents were of the view that the council’s billing system was in shambles.
Online Reporter