70% of BCC debtors clear arrears

BULAWAYO City Council’s (BCC) debt collection strategy is said to be paying dividends as 70% of ratepayers in the city have since cleared their arrears.

Early this year, BCC said it was owed over $1,9 billion by defaulting residents.

BCC finance committee chairperson councillor Tawanda Ruzive told Southern Eye that council was impressed by the response of residents after it sent warning letters to owing residents.

“Ever since we came up with a credit control policy, residents have been paying their debts. About 70% of them have cleared their debts and the warning letters are working magic,” Ruzive said.

He said BCC had not taken any ratepayer to court to force them to settle their debts.

“People fear those letters and once they have been served to them, they rush to make payments in fear of losing their houses or property over small debts,” he said.

Last year, the BCC repossessed houses of defaulting residents and auctioned the ones belonging to those that were heavily indebted.-newsday