Gweru to hike tariffs 60pc
IN a move that has been commended by the city fathers, Government has approved Gweru City Council’s $3,2 billion 2021 budget which will among other things, result in tariffs immediately going up by over 60 percent.
In 2020, Gweru city was working with a $1,9 billion budget which the city fathers said had been eroded by inflation.
Mayor, Councillor Josiah Makombe, commended Government for approving their 2021 budget at the beginning of the year. Last year, the city’s budget was only approved in March.
“Our 2021 budget has been approved. We are grateful because we can effect the budget now unlike last year when we went as far as March 2020 while using 2019 budget and that had a negative impact on service delivery. So approved revenue budget is $2 902 198 998, capital $300 million bringing the total budget to $3 202 198 998. The 2020 budget was $1 988 929 365. So percentage increase is 61 percent,” said Clr Makombe.
The new budget will result in charges increasing with local burial services going up from $10 to $160 while rentals at council-owned houses in Mkoba will go up from $600 to about $1100.
Occupation certificate fee for home- seekers was raised from $5 000 to $8050 while beacon relocation costs went up to $14 490 from $9 000.
Clr Makombe said it was worrying that residents and business’s debt continued to balloon with the majority not servicing their accounts. He said the local authority is owed over $277 million by defaulters and will thus charge 19 percent interest per annum on outstanding amounts.
“We are also offering 20 percent discount to residents who have some arrears but have been actively servicing their accounts,” he said.
Clr Makombe said as of November 30, 2020, residents owed council a total of $277,719,803 in unpaid rates, water and other charges.