Fredrick Moyo
Masvingo residents have cried foul over increases on the current water bills that the city council have pegged for the month of December.
Council is alleged to have increased their water charges with around 290 percent, a charge residents claim could have been drawn from the 2022 proposed budget that is yet to be approved.
Masvingo Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (MURRA) spokesperson Godfrey Mtimba said the move by council is ‘evil and diabolic’ and residents are angry and concerned with the move by council.
“As residents’ representative board, we are actually angry, furious and very much concerned with the way council is handling its affairs.
“A lot of reports have been made at our offices from residents saying they have received huge water bills on their current bills, some ranging between ZW$ 10 00 and 11 000 while some would even rise up to ZW$ 15 000, where they have been paying below ZW$3 000.
“After a bit of analysis we have realised that this might not be a mistake by the council but a deliberate increment in line with their percentage in the 2022 proposed budget, because in the 2022 budget council is proposing to increase service charges by almost 290 percent and so if a resident today receive a ZW$11 000 bill up from ZW$3 000, it means they have effected that proposed percentage without the knowledge of residents and also without even waiting for the government to approve that budget.
“What we know to be normal and procedural is that when they do their budget, they have to send it to the minister and wait for approval in January next year. We are not yet in January, still in 2021 but the rates have skyrocketed and ballooned beyond the reach of many residents,” said Mtimba.
He also said that residents are struggling, facing serious economic challenges in the country hence MURRA is giving council an ultimatum to rectify the current bills so that they come back to the normal rates residents have been paying.
“Remember residents are struggling make ends meet. They are struggling to fend for their families because of the serious economic challenges that our country is facing and we feel that is evil and diabolic for city council to make such a decision without even following the procedure.
“We want to give council an ultimatum to rectify if it is a mistake or a deliberate move they have to rectify and they have to reverse all those bills so that they come back to our normal rates that we have been paying over the past three months.
“This is a serious issue that we are closely following and engaging council from deep down our hearts. It is very serious and we are following this,” said Mtimba.
Contacted for comment Masvingo Town Clerk Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa said that he has no comment on the issue.
Masvingo Town Mayor Cllr Collen Maboke denied the allegation that they increased the bills in-line with the 2022 proposed budget, but however said the current charges are in-line with how residents used their water.
“I received those complaints but it is not correct that we made the increment in-line with the 2022 proposed budget. The budget should be approved by the minister first, that is what we are waiting for. The issue of these charges depends on how the people use their water, if they use more obviously the charges will be high.
“If residents think that they have been overcharged they should go to the offices and get assistance. Their problems or queries will be solved there and if there have been mistakes that can be rectified,” said Maboke.
Stakeholders have raised concerns asking for clarity over council’s proposed ZW$160 million furniture and equipment in the 2022 budget after it was allocated the third highest amount on the budget.
