US$ for stands, lease rentals

Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Correspondent
Harare City Council yesterday resolved to sell its stands and charge lease rentals in United State dollars and will be approaching Government to get requisite permission.

The local authority made the resolutions last night during the city’s 1890th ordinary meeting held in council chambers at Town House.

According to finance and development committee report tabled in the full council meeting last night council resolved that land is an immovable asset and its use has to bring equitable value to council.

“ . . . Council authorises the town clerk and the acting finance director to quote lease rentals as well as land purchase prices in a stable currency with the actual payments being made in prevailing equivalent official interbank rate at the date of the actual payment.

“That the town clerk and acting chamber secretary be authorised to engage the relevant authorities to seek for waiver or exemption of the provisions of the statutory instruments 213 of 2019 exchange control regulations and be allowed to set in $US rates for lease rentals and purchase prices on council land,” read the minutes. Chairing the meeting Acting mayor Enock Mupamawonde said council has since approached Government to get an exemption to sell their land in US dollars.

While awaiting Government’s approval in the meantime council is also proposing to have Bureau de Change at their revenue halls to cater for people who want to make payments using US dollars.

The acting finance director Mr Stanely Ndemera said they were recording an increasing number of clients that were coming to their banking halls with foreign currency.

“We have seen members of the public coming in holding foreign currency, thus we are proposing to have Bureau De Change in our banking halls.

“We are proposing a situation where a financial institution comes and sets up a bureau de change and council gets something.”