adminThe residents have signed a petition which they have forwarded to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development, Ignatius Chombo, their local MP, and Masvingo City Mayor, Alderman Femias Chakabuda expressing their dissatisfaction over what they called unjustifiable rise of rates.
According to the petition, which is in the possession of Chronicle, the residents who are represented by Masvingo Urban Ratepayers and Residents’ Association (MURRA) have raised their concern over the
“unjustifiable” budget proposal and they have demanded its reversal.
More than 2 000 people signed the petition, a number that represents about 600 percent more than the minimum number of signatures required for an objection.
Residents, mostly from Mucheke, Rujeko, Target Kopje, Majange and Runyararo West high density suburbs appended their signatures.
The residents said the budget did not take into consideration that the majority of the people in the high density suburbs were earning salaries well below the poverty datum line.
“The majority of people living in the high densities are those senior citizens and the youths from the nearby tertiary colleges who may not afford the proposed tariffs.
“The budget was raised to $14,7 million up from last year’s budget which was at $7 million, an increase of 102 percent, which is not normal in a stable economy like ours. The reason for such a hike, considering the poor service provision in Masvingo, remains a mystery to some,” reads the petition.
“After we have gone through the 2012 Masvingo city budget that was presented recently and advertised in one of the local papers, we as the residents and ratepayers of Masvingo are not satisfied with the proposed budget especially on tariffs.”
The residents said during budget consultations they, together with council officials, agreed that residents would not pay anything above $15 as tariffs.
“In the final budget consultation meeting that was held on 8 November, residents indicated that the maximum each household in the high density suburbs could pay was $15 which translated to a 50 percent increase from what is paid at present. However, to our shock the advertised budget has an 80 percent increase from what we used to pay and that, to us, is extortionate,” reads the petition.
According to the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15), Section 219(3)(a), if a statement has been advertised and within a period of 30 days from the day of announcement objections to the proposed tariffs, charges or deposits are lodged by more than 30 such users of the service concerned, by not less than 50 percent of the number of such users, such tariffs, charges or deposits shall be reconsidered by the council, together with the objections so lodged and they shall not come into operation unless the resolution is again passed by the majority of the total membership of the council.
The residents said the municipal budget also failed to take into account the fact that the national budget clearly indicated that there were no salary increases in the year 2012 so increasing the local budget by 102 percent when salaries remained stagnant was just being unreasonable and inconsiderate.
“An increase by around 50 percent would be fair not 85 percent for tariffs and 102 percent for the overall budget.”
The residents have called upon the city council to reduce the tariff structure proposed in the budget. They said that the council was supposed to take cognisance of the fact that most residents were not working with a few who are working earning meagre salaries.
The residents said that the service charges proposed in the budget were too high and they would find it very difficult to pay them.
Online Reporter