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NewsDay

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Kwekwe residents resist mayoral vehicle

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KWEKWE residents demanding improved service delivery have opposed the purchase of a $60 000 mayoral vehicle in the proposed 2018 budget.

KWEKWE residents demanding improved service delivery have opposed the purchase of a $60 000 mayoral vehicle in the proposed 2018 budget.

BY BLESSED MHLANGA

Council has presented a proposed capital budget of close to $8 million, which will see Kwekwe commit $3,2 million for the rehabilitation of water and sanitation infrastructure, $1,8 million for the installation of prepaid meters and $2 million for servicing stands in Mbizo and Amaveni.

Kwekwe also proposes to buy two ambulances, two refuse removal trucks for $400 000 and a mayoral double cab vehicle for $60 000 next year.

Residents are, however, unhappy with council spending money on the mayoral vehicle, saying it’s a luxury they can ill-afford. Tinashe Mutero of Fitchlea, said instead council should use the money to buy a service delivery vehicle.

“Council workers take time to attend to burst sewer pipes, while the building inspectorate has no vehicles, but this town wants to buy a car for a non executive mayor, who comes to office once in a while,” Mutero said at a budget consultative meeting.

Kwekwe was supposed to have bought a mayoral car in 2013, but mayor Matenda Madzoke blocked the local authority from getting him a one, saying he would ride on a bicycle to work than take delivery of a brand new vehicle, when service delivery was in shambles.

Madzoke resolved to use pool cars when attending to official council business, but the car has since gone out of service.

In what the local authority terms a standstill budget, they will not increase water tariffs and property rates.