CASH-STRAPPED Harare City Council has extended its fishing net to underground cables laid down by telecommunications firms and is demanding monthly rentals for the property.
BY MOSES MATENGA
Council business committee chairperson Herbert Gomba told NewsDay that they had already tasked town clerk Tendai Mahachi to engage one of the companies, Econet Zimbabwe, to pay up.
“Econet should pay lease fees for trenched areas. They put up their cables and it means that the land will not be used for anything else. They owe us a lot of money that runs into millions. We made a resolution in 2012 to that effect. The town clerk must be seen to be enforcing that resolution,” Gomba said.
“The whole business of trenching is to make money and they must plough something to the city. That they would want their cables to stay there forever shows that land will not be used for anything else. If they don’t we will have to consider engaging some legal brains to assist to influence them to pay,” Gomba said.
Last year, there was a push by council for individuals contracted by Econet to pay for small shops they are using for mobile money transfer facilities built at several places around the city.
Keep Reading
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
“A majority of them are paying but others are not, they should start paying to council,” Gomba said.
The local authority is desperate to raise funds to among other things pay outstanding salaries.