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NewsDay

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Gweru threatens ratepayers over bills

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Gweru City Council has given ratepayers until November 30 to settle outstanding bills, failure which the local authority would attach their property.

Gweru City Council has given ratepayers until November 30 to settle outstanding bills, failure which the local authority would attach their property.

By Stephen Chadenga

The local authority is owed more than $52 million by ratepayers, as residents and other debtors fail to settle their bills due to the liquidity crunch.

“All Gweru residents and clients who have outstanding bills to council should urgently approach council and make payments and payment plans on or before 30 November 2017,” town clerk Elizabeth Gwatipedza said in a statement.

“Those who fail to do so by the stated date risk attachment and auctioning of their valuables without further recourse to them. Residents and all clients are urged to take this notice seriously.”

Over the past months, different residents’ groups in the city have been calling for city fathers to make available itemised bills, arguing the current estimated ones do not show a true reflection of what ratepayers consume.

Gweru Residents and Ratepayers’ Association (GRRA) chairperson Cornelia Selipiwe said residents were prepared to dialogue with council to come up with an affordable payment plan.

Early this year, GRRA proposed a flat charge of $30 per month for water bills to be paid by every household.

But recently, finance director Edgar Mwedzi said most ratepayers had ignored a call by council to come forward and make payment plans.