The city’s acting financial director, Conny Ncube, said if all the debtors were to pay up, the roads and burst sewers could be repaired. She was commenting on the latest council report, which showed that consumers owed council a total of US$72 751 813,33 in rates and service charges for the first quarter of this year.
Domestic consumers led the list, owing about US$33 million, followed by industrial and commercial entities that owed just above US$32,5 million. Government departments had a debt of almost US$7 million.
“Service delivery depends on the rate of payment by consumers. If people pay, we would have garbage collections at least twice a week and we would generally have a pollution free environment,” said Ncube.
The deputy mayor, Amen Mpofu, also expressed concern over the issue.
“The debt is ballooning on a daily basis. People are quick to blame council for uncollected garbage, potholes in the road, burst sewers and leaking pipes, but they do not seem to realize that as long as they owe such huge amounts, it is impossible for us to provide acceptable standards of service,” he said.
Mpofu said the massive water disconnections that council embarked on to force consumers to pay up were not the answer.
“Yes we need the money and we have little choice but to cut services. However, I feel that awareness campaigns to educate consumers on the consequences of their not paying are more effective,” said Mpofu.
In recent months, the Bulawayo City Council has threatened to engage debt
collectors to recover the ever-swelling consumer debt.
Post published in: News