‘No services, no payment’

Some Tafara and Mabvuku residents have vowed not to pay their rates until they see an improvement in services offered by Harare City Council in their area.

This came out during a Combined Harare Residents Association Ward Development Committee meeting held in Tafara.

A member of Ward 46 Development Committee only identified as Mr Nyahungwe claimed that some sections of Mabvuku had gone for 30 years without receiving tap water, but residents in those areas were being made to pay the fixed water bill.

“A section of houses ranging from house number 1000-1602 have not received a single drop of water for the past 30 years.

“It does not make sense for residents to pay for services that are not there, but when the water comes, we will pay.”

The association, however, encouraged residents to be responsible citizens and continue paying their rates as this will empower them to demand accountability.

Residents also challenged the local authority to resolve issues of the billing system and fight corruption among city officials in order to plug revenue leakages at Town House.

Harare City Council spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme yesterday said they were looking at the introduction of a pre-payment method.

“The problem we have as council is that we rely on post-payment, but it has failed us because after use of our services ratepayers have no compelling obligation to pay,” he said.

“The way to go is pre-payment for services so that people are forced to pay for services rendered.”-herald.l.zw