The debt wrangle between Gwanda municipality and the National Social Security Authority (Nssa) took a new twist this week after the local authority retaliated by disconnecting water to Nssa.
This forced Nssa to reverse the attachment of council property over a $35 000 debt after it emerged the social security agency owed Gwanda municipality
$50 000 in unpaid rates. Gwanda mayor Lionel DeNecker on Thursday confirmed the local authority had disconnected water to Nssa in retaliation to the attachment of its property by the agency.
“Nssa engaged Cheda and Partners Legal Practitioners to enforce the attachment of our property. As a result the council had to pay a total of $10 000 to Nssa lawyers and the debt collector in the attachment process,” said De- Necker.
He said the council in turn engaged its own lawyers, Coghlan and Welsh Legal Practitioners, to reverse the property attachment.
DeNecker said the council also cut water supplies to Nssa to force it to clear its arrears.
“As a result, Nssa returned our property and also paid $11 000 which is part of the debt they owe the local authority. We also have since reconnected water to them after their part-payment,” said DeNecker.
He accused Nssa of overreacting without considering the fact that they owed the council more.
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Nssa officials declined to comment over the phone demanding written questions. At the time of going to print last night, they had not responded to the questions sent by NewsDay.
