Gokwe South Rural District Council (RDC) has taken the the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to court over levies amounting to $78 000, which have remained unpaid over a two-year period.
BY CHARLES LAITON
According to the council, the parastatal has not paid levies for running its business in the RDC’s jurisdiction between January last year and December this year, in accordance with the local authority’s by-laws.
In the summons issued early this month under case number HC11970/15, the council said: “Defendant (GMB) is operating some business in the jurisdiction of plaintiff (Gokwe South Rural District Council). Defendant is supposed to pay levies to plaintiff every month.”
However, the council did not elaborate on how much the GMB was supposed to be paying per month, but simply indicated the amount due had ballooned to $78 000 over the two-year period.
“Since January 2014 to December 2015, defendant has not been paying levies, as is required, leaving arrears of $78 000. To date, defendan,t despite demand, has refused and/or neglected to pay the levies,” the council said in its declaration forming part of the summons.
However, the parties are set to battle each other in court, as the GMB has since entered its appearance to defend notice, an indication it is prepared to challenge the claimed amount.
