adminSukoluhle Ndlovu Midlands Correspondent
ZVISHAVANE residents and corporates owe council over $40 million in unpaid rates and water bills.
This has forced council to consider installing prepaid water meters as from next month.
In an interview yesterday, town secretary Mr Tinoda Mukutu said installation of the prepaid water meters was the solution.
“We are owed more than $40 million by residents and companies in unpaid water, rates and rentals. That amount continues to increase and as a way of recovering it, we expect to start rolling out prepaid water meters in March after finalising everything with our investors. We will start by installing meters in the Central Business District followed by low-density areas like Eastlea. We will then move to high-density areas like Makusha and Mandava,” he said.
Mr Mukutu said council was failing to provide services due to financial challenges.
“For quite some time we have not been delivering good service to our residents because of the huge sums of money that we are owed. But the moment we start recovering the money, we will start improving on service delivery,” he said.
Mr Mukutu urged residents and companies to considering making payment plans to offset what they owe.
“We are encouraging all ratepayers to make payment plans and clear their debts so that we are able to function as a council,” he said.
Council rehabilitated roads in Mandava and Makusha high-density suburbs even though it facing financial challenges.
Online Reporter