Council rates shoot up

THE Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has approved 2022 budgets for 10 local authorities in Manicaland, with the three urban councils in the province hiking domestic and commercial rates by between 20 and 125 percent in moves that have drawn mixed reactions from stakeholders.

While most residents and ratepayers feel the budgets are astronomical given that Covid-19 has derailed most people’s livelihoods, some are of the opinion that the figures were justified as they would assist the local authorities to achieve key deliverables.

Officials at Mutare City, Rusape and Chipinge Town Councils’are on record saying their capacity to provide efficient water supply was compromised by ageing water treatment infrastructure that required refurbishment to match the population growth.

The councils’sewer reticulation systems are also always breaking down, especially in high-density areas, threatening public health.

In addition, refuse collection is erratic due to shortage of refuse collection trucks.

Mutare City Council has a total budget of $7 billion that will be augmented by $387 million for devolution programmes and $140 million from Zinara.

Council spokesperson, Mr Spren Mutiwi said they effected a 20 percent increase across the board in USD terms, but residents will have the option to pay in local currency using the prevailing interbank exchange rate.

“We tried to be sensitive to the obtaining economic environment. There is need to strike a balance and deliver basic service delivery while the people pay for the services.

“If we had increased the rates beyond 20 percent we would risk having many defaulters and failing to provide basic service delivery.

“We are prioritising the provision of water and among our major projects is the feasibility study for a new water treatment plant at Osborne Dam. We will erect more tower lights to improve public lighting across the city.

“We want to construct a new school in one of our low density areas, an additional ploy-clinic and a land fill. We are also planing to renovate our markets and acquire road rehabilitation equipment.

“We will also set up a Geographical Information System to improve our sewer reticulation management as we move towards attaining a smart city,” said Mr Mutiwi.

United Mutare Residents and Ratepayers Trust (UMRRT) official, Mr Edison Dube said the budget committee agreed to Mutare City Council’s rates.

“The agreed increase on the overall budget for 2022 was 20 percent on all services. The increase will be staggered

over the year’s four quarters — that is 10 percent during the first quarter and then 3. 3 percent over each of the subsequent quarters. A sudden increase would have negatively affected residents who are already cashstrapped due to Covid-19 and other factors.”

Rusape Town Council crafted a $1. 4 billion budget, a move which saw domestic rates and commercial tariffs going up by 38 percent and 125 percent respectively.

Last year’s budget performed relatively well with a collection efficiency of 85 percent, with high-density residents being major defaulters.

Most businesses cleared their arrears for 2021.

Government will chip in with $319 for devolution and $36 million for the roads.

Health fees are now pegged at $500 for adults and $250 for children.

The cheapest grave now costs $1 800, while ambulance services are now pegged at $1 200 (local) and $1 500 (Sanzaguru).

Among key deliverables for 2022 is acquisition of a new refuse compactor, a motorised roller compactor, installing six tower lights and 200 solar street lights, as well as installation of water and sewerage pumps and construction of storm water drains.

Roads and sewer systems will also be rehabilitated.

Acting town secretary, Mr Fanseni Shuwa urged ratepayers to pay up to enable Council to provide quality services.

“Domestic tariffs have gone up by 38 percent, while commercial tariffs are up by 125 percent. Government will avail funding under devolution and this will be used to purchase equipment and maintain roads. Council has budgeted for 200 solar street lights which will be installed on dangerous spots. All the tower lights that were damaged by the rains will also be repaired,” he said.

However, Rusape Residents Trust (RRT) executive member, Mr Victor Mariranyika doubts council’s ability to achieve the set goals.“Council is crippled financially and will most likely fail to deliver expected services, thereby leading to stakeholder disgruntlement and confrontations,” he said.

Mr Godfrey Mufuranhewe, a Rusape resident, said the council’s budget is too heavy for residents who are already burdened by arrears.

He said the majority of Rusape residents are informal traders who cannot afford to pay the“wild figures”.

“During consultative meetings we did not approve this punitive budget, our input was not factored in. We lobbied for the water, sewer, refuse collection and health fees to be reduced but they were actually hiked,”he said.

In Chipinge, the Town Council has a budget of $941 million.

A total of $420 million was allocated under devolution while $42 million will come from Zinara.

Devolution targets include construction of two classroom blocks at St Kelvin Secondary School, purchase of an ambulance, surfacing of a one kilometre stretch of road, water and sanitation upgrading and establishment of an information communication technologies one-stop-shop.

Makoni RDC had a budget of $1,1 billion, out of which $559 million was allocated under devolution and $44 million under Zinara.

The council’s major devolution projects include establishment of a vocational training centre, construction of a stadium in Nyazura and Mapere Clinic, as well as the purchasing of a motorised grader and borehole drilling rig.

The council also seeks to rehabilitate roads and water reticulation systems.

Street lights will also be installed in its urban settlements.

Nyanga RDC’s budget of $882 million was approved.

Devolution funding stands at $357 million, $116 million will come from Zinara.

Mutasa RDC, on the other hand, had a budget of $1, 3 billion approved, of which $411 million falls under devolution, while $40 million will come from Zinara.

Chipinge RDC budgeted $1, 2 billion for 2022, of which $616 million is under devolution while $37 million is under Zinara.

The council is expected to raise $526 million to cover its own budget.

Acting chief director (local authorities) in the Local Government and Public Works Ministry, Mr Fungai Mbetsa said all local authorities in Manicaland had their budgets approved and must deliver services within their jurisdictions.

Mr Mbetsa said the watertight analysis recently carried out on the budgets seek to minimise the negative impacts of poor budgeting models.

“We invited all local authorities for one-onone sessions to interrogate their budgets with the Minister (Dr July Moyo). Where necessary, corrections and alignments with the law were done before final approval.

“Manicaland has 10 local authorities, three urban and seven RDCs, and all had their budgets approved last week. We expect these councils to deliver set expectations.

“We expect local authorities to desist from the habit of blaming Government for their non-delivery. Government is assisting them through disbursements of funds for devolution as well as the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme. These programmes seek to ensure that local authorities deliver better services,” said Mr Mbetsa.