Gokwe council owed $1m

GOKWE Town Council is owed one million dollars in unpaid bills by residents, Government and business, a situation which has seen council failing to provide basic services and to pay salaries.

Council chairperson Councillor Esther Sengwa attributed the situation to bickering between management and councillors.

This has reportedly led to apathy in settling bills by residents and business.

Cllr Sengwa accused some councillors of influencing ratepayers against settling their bills as a way of fighting management.

“Council is now owed about $1 million by residents, Government and business. But all our efforts are going coming to nought since we have elements among us — in the form of fellow councillors — who are telling residents in their respective wards not to settle their debts.

“They are telling them that council will do nothing to them. Some tell the residents that their debts will be erased like what the Government once did before, but that will not happen,” she said.

“So this disunity in council is affecting even service delivery because ratepayers are not coming forth.”

Cllr Sengwa said council was now over 10 months in salary arrears because it does not have money to pay the workers.

She said even capital projects like the construction of the town house, clinic, stadium and a primary school were lagging behind because of non-payment of rates.

“On Monday, we met as finance committee and we agreed on engaging debt collectors to recover the one million owed by ratepayers,” said Cllr Sengwa.

“If all was well and the residents, business and Government paid up the $1 million they owe us, council was easily going to pay off salaries and other statutory obligations. But we will soldier on and win the battle,” said Cllr Sengwa.

Two weeks ago, five councillors were reported to the police for allegedly holding hostage Cllr Sengwa, town secretary and management for about an hour, demanding the suspension of the town secretary for alleged incompetence.

The councillors Davison Mhlanga, Davis Taruvinga, Faustino Mapfunde, Duncan Nyamukasa and Manuel Mafa allegedly ordered a security guard at town house to lock the gate so that Cllr Sengwa, town secretary Ms Melania Mandeya and her management team would not leave the premises after a special full council meeting.

The police were called in and order was restored.