Zibagwe RDC adopts ward-based revenue collection model

ZIBAGWE Rural District Council (RDC) says its enhanced revenue collection measures have
started bearing positive results as it moves towards beefing up its coffers and
subsequently improving service delivery.

Among other measures, the rural authority has started conducting ward-based revenue
collection targeting farmers and households, as well as mine inspections and follow ups on
payments.

The development comes as the council is struggling to recover a total of $292,2million it is
owed by debtors, a development that threatens service delivery. The local authority is also
struggling to settle a $95 million credit to service providers.

Speaking during a recent full council meeting, chief executive officer, Mr Farayi Desmond
Machaya, said the latest measures were already yielding positive results.

“We conducted ward-based revenue collection in wards 1,2,5, 30,31 and realized a total
of $1,5 million out of a $57,6 million worth of invoices submitted to the farmers. There is a
need to visit the same wards again to improve collections,” he said.

“Our efforts are beginning to pay dividends as we have managed to urge Jena Mines, being
our major debtors, to start honoring its obligations to the council.”

Mr Machaya said follow ups on mines alone saw invoices amounting to $9,1 million being
dispatched to respective miners.

Wards 5,9, 15, 24 and 25 produced a total of $854 000 with Mr Machaya saying there was
need to do the same in the rest of the 33 wards before year end. He said as a result, revenue
collection had improved.

“The cumulative revenue collected to date is $196 million, which translates to 43 percent
of our local revenue budget of $454 million. Revenue collected for the 3 rd quarter under review totaled $139 million, which is $25,6 million in excess of our third quarter projection for the year.

“We owe this largely to our endeavors as well as the effectiveness of changes in the
exchange rate during the period under review.”

Mr Machaya said the complete opening of the economy after Covid-19 induced lockdowns
was also cascading to local authorities.
“The complete opening of the economy has seen a general improvement in economic
activity, thus, alleviating the uncertainty that had been long-standing.

“As we regain lost productivity, we expect nominal GDP growth and general macroeconomic stability,” he said.
Mr Machaya said as the economy recovers, as is the public sector.
“We expect an improvement in the revenue inflows that must translate to increased
resources for service delivery,” he said.-The Chronicle