Gwanda disconnects water to recover $247m debt

By Mthabisi Tshuma

Gwanda Municipality has started disconnecting water supplies to defaulting rate payers as the municipality moves to recover what it is owed by residents and commercial entities.

The local authority is owed $247 million. Of the total, $80 million is owed by residents and the remainder is owed by the commercial sector.

The process of disconnecting water supplies started last week in Jahunda suburb and this week Phakama residents with high outstanding bills were left stranded without water.

Residents have, however, urged Government to quickly intervene to avert a crisis in the mining town. In an interview, Gwanda Municipality Director of Finance Mr Xolani Dube said the local authority wants to improve service delivery.

“The council is owed $247 million of which residents contribute about $80 million while the local authority owes Zinwa $139 million dollars as of end of February this year.

“The disconnecting of water supplies is an ongoing exercise that we will continue until they have paid all their dues,” said Mr Dube.

“The amounts on these bills is correct and the challenge to many residents is that they go for over two years without paying anything and when we do our roundup of the monthly charges the bills accumulate the correct amounts which residents are crying about.

“Residents have to just pay their rates and also in time.”

Gwanda Residents Association deputy secretary general Wellington Nare said the local authority should have first notified residents prior to disconnecting water supplies.

“The Municipality of Gwanda has started water disconnection to owing residents. Last week they started disconnections in Jahunda and this week other areas followed.

“But what is of concern is that the council didn’t notify residents of its intention to do disconnections as it is supposed to do in line with administrative justice procedures,” he said.

Mr Nare said the local authority should devise payment methods with the rate payers as a number of them were affected financially due to lockdowns.

“Taking into light that we were under strict lockdown of Covid-19 that affected residents economically, we call upon the council to come up with a residents’ friendly approach in revenue collection and water disconnections.

“In these times, disconnecting water supplies should be the last resort after exhausting other means which do not violate the right to water,” said Mr Nare.

He urged local residents to pay their dues on time.

“The residents association also calls upon all residents to service their debts with the municipality as such will go a long way in ensuring services are delivered to the community.

“The municipality therefore is reminded that revenue cannot be raised by fighting the same residents who have endured under strict Covid -19 regulations which also affected council in the service delivery thus instead a formula of mutual approach should be designed to ensure residents pay whatever they have,” said Mr Nare.

Residents who were queuing at the Gwanda Municipality offices in Gwanda town central business district on Wednesday had no kinds words for the local authority.

Mrs Sibonile Maboyi said the latest water bill statement was too high.

“My water bill was around $10 000 and l had hoped to clear it this month only to receive a bill of over $40 000 within a space of a month.

“Weeks later our taps are dry as they disconnected the water supplies and they have not given a valid answer on why the charges came out high,” said Mrs Maboyi who is a Phakama resident.

Another resident from Jahunda Mr Cosmas Zulu said: “We understand that the council needs ratepayers monies in order to do their work effectively thus the need for them to engage residents on such matters.

“We are faced with a health pandemic which needs the use of water at all times so council should look into the issue.” The Chronicle