Harare City Council should not abrogate its duties

CITIZENS, business, politicians and other stakeholders will from time-to-time undertake campaigns to clean up their surroundings as corporate social responsibility.

However, such clean-up campaigns are not a solution to the mess that is bedevilling Harare, but a shortterm measure that is largely unsustainable.

The Harare City Council should not abrogate its responsibilities.

When the City of Harare fails to provide an essential service at a time when it collecting rates monthly, it gives rise to opportunists who do clean-up campaigns for the sake of publicity. All this is short-term and unsustainable. The City of Harare needs to set its priorities right and stop making excuses for its failure.

Central government should intervene where a local authority has not demonstrated sufficient competence to deliver services to its citizens.

The corruption that took place in the procurement of refuse compactors should be immediately resolved.

The City of Harare paid for two skip trucks with a South African company.

However, the supplier delivered one skip truck and the City of Harare has not bothered to punish the criminals who received one truck instead of two.

Reports produced by the Environment Management Agency and the City of Harare show that sometimes the refuse trucks that are said to have broken down have minor faults that do not require a lot of money for nuts and bolts, spare tyres, oil, etc to get them running.

There must be a change of attitude at the City of Harare — councillors and management.

Internal sabotage is a reality in council operations where private interests are taking precedence over service delivery.

Harare Residents Trust