IN an about turn that shocked stakeholders, Chiredzi Town Council (CTC) has engaged legal services in a bid to collect monies owed to them by ratepayers.
by Garikai Mafirakureva
CTC engaged Mangwana and Partners law firm, who recently wrote letters of demand to residents with rates arrears stating that they settle their bills by December 15, or make payment plans.
This was contrary to an agreement reached last week that the town was to convene another meeting to give feedback and map the way towards improved revenue collection methods.
Contacted for comment on why CTC had engaged lawyers, town secretary Charles Muchatukwa expressed ignorance of the resolutions of the all stakeholders meeting.
“Which resolution do you mean?” asked Muchatukwa before cutting off.
Former Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere, once threatened to fire the entire Zanu PF-led council and administration, after it emerged that CTC was rated among the most corrupt councils in the country.
This was after revelations that council had doled out 40 residential stands to each councillor. The United Chiredzi Residents Ratepayers’ Association (UCHIRRA) is instituting legal action against council to force them to make the audit report public.
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Council chairperson, Francis Moyo said CTC owes employees eight months’ salaries, and the employees have since sued council, but they later reached an out of court settlement where they will pay three months’ salary in December.
“We are just sending reminders to those who owe the town council more than $400. In fact, we are not suing anyone. These are just reminders. We only used Mangwana and Partners letterhead. We need money to pay council workers half of their salaries,” Moyo said.
The CTC monthly progress report as at September 30, 2017 shows that out of the $10 134 290 owed to council $50% of the debt, $4 339 076, is for land sales.
UCHIRRA secretary, Bernard Dhachi expressed disappointment on how council sent the reminders.
“We thought council was going to honest and sincere and follow what we are agreed in our previous meeting, but it seems they are now reading from a different hymn book. People are already losing confidence in them because they can’t keep their word,” Dhachi said.
