CASH-STRAPPED Harare City Council has resorted to attaching and auctioning the property of defaulting ratepayers in a bid to recover over $340 million owed in unpaid rates.
BY MOSES MATENGA
Residents make up the bulk of the council’s debtors.
The local authority yesterday published a notice advising 17 residents whose property was recently attached that their household goods would be placed under the hammer on June 16.
The goods include fridges, sofas, generators, television sets, microwaves and bicycles among others.
The council’s finance and development committee recently noted that most commercial and industrial debtors had failed to take advantage of several incentives designed to make them pay up.
“That it be noted that despite incentivising commercial and industrial debtors by offering discounts of up to 30%, the uptake has been low signifying the general liquidity challenges prevailing in the country,” the committee’s report said.
The debts have reportedly ballooned from $320 million in January to $337,8 million in March this year, resulting in council failing to meet most of its obligations including payment of workers’ salaries.
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Widespread corruption is also said to be affecting the local authority as some council workers and rogue politicians were illegally collecting money from market stalls and other council properties and converting it to their own use.
