ChiTown discounts penalty fees, rent bills

CHITUNGWIZA Municipality is offering 50% and 30% discounts on illegal stands' penalty fees and outstanding rental bills, the council has indicated.

“Anyone who pays after will be required to pay the full amount,” council spokesperson Lovemore Meya said.

“These promotions are meant to encourage ratepayers to pay their dues. They owe too much money to the council and they have not been paying for long.”

Chitungwiza Progressive Residents Association secretary-general Gift Kurupati welcomed the promotion.

“We are happy that this will give poor residents a reprieve. However, a discount of this manner is a piece-meal approach that only addresses the symptoms of a serious problem,” he said.

Chitungwiza and Manyame Rural Residents Association secretary Brighton Mazhindu said: “It’s an early Christmas present for ratepayers who have been struggling to settle their bills.

“We hope the council will plug the cash leakages and improve its revenue base.”

As at August 31, the council was being owed $2,8 billion by ratepayers who include commercial organisations and government departments.

Acting finance director Robert Nyikadzino recently said commerce and industry owed the municipality $1,1 billion and ordinary residents $1,7 billion.

“We encourage our valued stakeholders to pay their bills on time in order for the council to provide improved service delivery to the community,” Nyikadzino said.

Acting mayor Kiven Mutimbanyoka said: “Not every illegal structure will be regularised. It’s subject to inspection because some people have built above sewage pipes, road servitudes and below electricity powerlines.”