Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
ZVISHAVANE Town Council (ZTC) has threatened to intensify water cuts to recover $487 million owed by residents and businesses.
The situation has resulted in residents going for days without running water.
The local authority also faces challenges of blocked and damaged old sewer pipelines that need urgent replacement.
ZTC finance director Mr George Jongoni urged ratepayers to settle their bills so that the local authority can improve on service delivery.
“Ratepayers should settle their bills or else council will be forced to effect water disconnections to all debtors without fear or favour.
Debtors are also urged to engage the council with reasonable payment plans for the development of the town,” he said.
According to the latest ZTC report, council’s cumulative income received in the financial year ending on 30 April 2022 was $159 million against a cumulative budget of $302 million.
“As at 30 April 2022 cumulative income received was $159 million against a cumulative budget of $302 million, a negative variance of $143 million,” reads part of the report.
The negative variance is attributed to failure by ratepayers to settle their bills.
“The budget performance review reflected that the debtor’s figure continued to escalate to levels that are not acceptable, with Zvishavane Town Council owed $487 million by various debtors.
Residents, Government departments, businesses, mines and power utility company Zesa a situation that has seen the local authority lagging behind in terms of service delivery.
“As at March 31, residents and businesses owed council $246 million, Zesa $120 million, Forit Construction $76 million, Shabanie Mine $24 million and Government departments $12,8 million,” reads part of the report.
In the schedule of debtors released by council residents in Makwasha suburb were the biggest defaulters as they owed the local authority $54 million, followed by Shabanie Mine residents who owe $48 million.
Third on the list are businesses owing council $47,2 million, while residents in Mandava suburb owe council $42,3 million and those in Eastlea suburb owe $18,7 million.
Council Park residents owe council $1,7 million and Platinum Park residents owe council $2,7 million.
ZTC chairperson Councillor Khulekhani Ndlovu said it is in the best interest of ratepayers to settle their bills and on time to avoid inconveniences.
He said effective service delivery is only possible when ratepayers settle their bills.
“We are urging residents to settle their bills because service delivery is affected by non-payment of bills.
The effects are obviously constraints in service delivery, slow pace in infrastructure rehabilitation and as council we are unable to service our own debt to creditors,” said Clr Ndlovu.
Water shortages also stretch to other high density suburbs in the mining town which include Maglas, Lot 4, Makwasha and Mandava, which almost always go for weeks without running water and force residents, especially women, to queue for the precious liquid with minimal observation of social distancing and other Covid-19 regulations.
Issues of poor sanitation and housing shortages have been going on for years in the mining town, and in areas like Mandava and Kandodo, large families live overcrowded in small matchbox houses as authorities continue to play the blame game when it comes to taking responsibility for fixing the situation.
Online Reporter