SW Radio Africa (London)
Tererai Karimakwenda
29 June 2011
Thousands of Harare residents, already struggling to pay exorbitant water and service bills, have been issued summons by the City Council demanding payment of unpaid bills. And according to the state run Herald newspaper, those who fail to appear in court “risk losing household property” because the city has secured court orders to attach the property.
But the Harare Residents Trust (HRT) has vowed to fight the Council over the issue of unpaid bills, saying the bills are estimates intended to enrich councillors who are not providing any services to the residents.
HRT coordinator Precious Shumba said the decisions being made by councillors are “inconsiderate” of the general economic conditions residents are facing and will not be honoured.
“There has been no refuse collection in many areas, some people have had no water for years and road conditions are terrible. We will fight this,” Shumba said.
The Herald said over 5 000 households and 538 companies owe a total of $34 million in unpaid water bills, rates and supplementary charges and suummons were issued to residents mostly in the high density suburbs of Mbare, Mabvuku, Highfield, Tynwald, Kuwadzana, Tafara and Kambuzuma.
The council says residents in all areas owe a total of $80 million and central government reportedly owes an additional $90 million.
Lesley Gwindi, the city spokesperson, told the paper last Friday that this was the only way to recoup the unpaid revenue, which the city “intends to plough back into service delivery”.
But residents in the affected areas have reacted angrily to the city’s actions, citing poor service delivery, inflated rates and salaries for councillors who “don’t care”.
Gwindi claimed the city was failing to provide services to the “same people” clamouring for world class services but refusing to honour their debts.
Harare Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda reportedly said those affected can set up payment plans with the council to avoid their property being seized. But Shumba and the residents said they are mobilizing to resist the seizures and will be questioning the legality of the bill estimates.
AllAfrica – All the Time
Continued here:
Zimbabwe: Harare Residents to Resist Property Seizures By Council