Kudzai Bare, Staff Reporter
THE Harare City Council suspects that former ZANU-PF commissioners appointed following the sacking of the previous Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)-dominated council have not been paying their rates, thereby prejudicing the city of revenue. During a full council meeting held last week, councillors enquired whether the former commissioners had been exempted from paying their rates, service charges and excess water.
Since 2004, Harare was run by a commission led by Sekesai Makwavarara following her defection from MDC-T to ZANU-PF, before it was replaced in 2007 by another commission led by engineer Michael Mahachi.
Although, names of the former commissioners, who are suspected of prejudicing council, were not provided to the full council meeting, council minutes show that councillors said there were suspicions that the former city fathers were not paying their dues.
“Under matters for which the chairperson’s consent had been obtained, the committee enquired whether former Harare city commissioners had been exempted from paying rates, service charges and excess water as part of their terminal benefits,” reads part of the council minutes.
Chamber secretary, Josephine Ncube, advised that no authority had been granted to exempt any former commissioner from paying council.
“No former commissioner was ever exempted from paying any due to council, but council had the discretion of exempting senior citizens of the city aged 65 or above upon application to the city treasurer,” said Ncube.
The latest revelations come a month after Harare mayor, Muchadeyi Masunda, said the local authority was owed US$130 million in unpaid bills by government, households and businesses, which were inconveniencing council in service provision.
The mayor said the money was needed to attend to such urgent issues as water provision. The city is only able to supply about 600 mega litres against a daily demand of between 1 200 and 1 300 mega litres.
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