Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Harare City Council has urged residents and businesses to pay their bills for the local authority to be able to deliver expected public goods and services. The local authority said it is owed ZWL$14 billion by debtors inclusive of ZWL$82.8 million it is owed by tenants who have since been served with eviction notices. Harare has for decades been failing to deliver public goods and services such as potable water, sewer reticulation, road maintenance and garbage collection citing lack of resources. Pindula News presents the city’s statement.
Residents and business enterprises are advised that debt collection teams are visiting to enforce bill payment.
Council recently set up a debt collection blitz team headed by Mr Jabulani Duve upon realising that some debtors needed a direct interface to pay up. Debtors owe council ZWL$14 billion.
Failure or delays in retiring the debt is adversely affecting funding for service delivery. All debtors are therefore urged to be paid up and in situations where they can not pay up at once, payment plans are advised.
Council is committed to providing top-class services provided resources are made available. Council will deface billboards that are not paid for while illegally erected billboards and directional signs will be taken into safe custody.
According to Harare (Control of Advertising Signs) By-Laws, 1981, it is illegal to erect billboards or any structure within City of Harare area of jurisdiction without a permit and approved plans from council. Council has opened a window to regularise some billboards provided the owners the stipulated fines and lease fees.
Advertising companies with billboards are advised to settle their debts and avoid removal of the advertising signage.
Meanwhile, council is auditing occupancy of its residential and commercial properties. Occupants not paying rentals will be evicted.
Part of the audit verifies lease ownership. Council will offer leases to sitting tenants. The city has so far issued letters of final demands to tenants.
At least 277 eviction notices have been sent to tenants in Glen Norah and Highfield who owe Council ZWL$82,8 million.
Harare has a vision to achieve a world-class city status by 2025. That vision can only be achieved with the full participation of residents, businesses and other stakeholders.
This is our rallying point for everyone to participate #TheWorldClassCityBeginsWithYou
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