adminSukoluhle Ndlovu Midlands Correspondent
CASH-strapped Shurugwi Town Council has collected about 20 percent of money that it is owed by rate payers through the installation of prepaid water meters and payment plans.
The town council is owed more than $7 million by both residents and companies and has so far recovered $1,5 million.
In an interview, town council chairman Mr Tsungai Makore said the town was making progress in collecting debts, although it was taking a long time.
“We are owed a total of $7,8 million by the rate payers.
“Of that figure, residents owe US$3,4 million, while the rest is owed by corporates. As a council, we had to put measures in place to recover the debt as we were struggling because of it.
“We installed prepaid water meters and encouraged residents to make payment plans and that has really worked because so far we have managed to recover about $1,5 million, which is about 20 percent of the figure owed to us,” he said.
Mr Makore said residents who got prepaid meters are in the central business district, adding that council will continue to install the meters in other residential places.
Online Reporter
Peter Tanyanyiwa