BY PRAISEMORE SITHOLE BULAWAYO residents have called on the local authority to use money from its commercial enterprises to subsidise rates.
The issue was raised during a virtual meeting where residents said strategic business units such as Ingwebu Breweries had capacity to sustain council operations outside revenue from ratepayers.
The company is currently developing a PET facility at its depot to produce takeaway beer bottles.
“BCC revenue should not just come from residents. Council should also be generating revenue from other streams. We do not want wasteful expenditure like sponsoring a football club. That is not a necessity. It’s a luxury,” a resident said.
Another resident Nqobani Ncube said: “There is need to attend to dilapidated infrastructure such as water drainage and sewer systems as well as roads. The road that goes through Belmont industrial area from Bellevue is now in a sorry state, especially in the area around Kango/Electrosales.”
Ward 4 councillor Silas Chigora said: “As long as we focus on criticism and blame games, we will not revive Bulawayo. We need to shift our minds from critics to problem solvers. For every blame, let us find out the facts and then make recommendations.”
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