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Luthando Mapepa
Chipinge Correspondent
CASH-STRAPPED Chipinge Town Council has acquired three top of the range vehicles for its executives at a time when the local authority is struggling to ensure efficient service delivery for residents.
Last week, the local authority took delivery of a Nissan Navara single cab worth US$29 000 which was allocated to the Engineering Department, while three double-cab vehicles for the executives are expected in the near future.
The vehicles were purchased using the council’s internal funds.
Residents, however, are arguing that the biggest chunk of the council’s revenue should be channelled towards service delivery.
Mr Amato Rungano of Chipinge Town Residents Association (CTCA) said council should prioritise acquisition of service delivery vehicles.
“While it is not in dispute that heads of departments need to have vehicles as part of their package, council should also prioritise acquisition of service delivery vehicles.
“We need skip bins, road compactors as well as street lights. As residents, we take great exception in delays in acquiring these important vehicles considering the poor service delivery and the state of our roads.
“By improving service delivery, this will encourage ratepayers to settle their outstanding bills. This will also see the council improving its revenue collection efficiency as residents will be seeing value for their money,” said Mr Rungano.
The local authority is owed $243 million by ratepayers.
ln defending the local authority’s latest acquisiton, council chairman, Councillor Lovemore Mkwapati said: “As part of our efforts to improve service delivery, the council has purchased a vehicle for the Engineering Department. The department was seriously incapacitated due to lack of vehicles to execute their duties.”
Councillor Mkwapati also said provisions for the executive’s vehicles were made in the 2022 financial budget.
“Our top executives do not have personal vehicles. The thematic committees which formulate the budget we are using agreed that we should buy vehicles for some of our senior managers to arrest the brain drain haunting the council.
“We are continuously losing senior managers because of poor remuneration,” said Councillor Mkwapati.
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