THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has said residents in the
city’s affluent suburbs are the worst rate payers as they constitute the
majority of debtors.
Council is owed more than $100 million by residents and the
business community. Recently, it resolved to resume water disconnections with
immediate effect after it observed lack of commitment to clear arrears by its
debtors.
In the latest council report, the local authority provided
statistics on how much it is owed by each of the municipality’s 29 wards.
The report identified Ward 4 as its worst domestic debtor. Ward 4 consists of suburbs such as Burnside,
Ascot, Willsgrove, Glencoe, Lochview, Riverside, Buena Vista, Manningdale,
Sunninghill, Waterford, Matsheumhlope Portion, Hillside Portion, Fortunes Gate,
Malindela, Woodlands, Ilanda and Selbourne Park Phases 1 and 2.
The suburbs have a joint $10 million debt from 9 302
debtors and 1 924 did not make any payments in the last six months.
According to the report, Ward 4 is closely followed by Ward
3 that has the following suburbs; Hume Park, Suburbs, Killarney, Orange Grove,
Queens Park East, Romney Park, Sunnyside, Paddonhurst, Kumalo, Glengarry,
Parklands, Northlea, Woodville and Mahatshula with a combined $7,2 million
debt.
The report shows that Ward 3 has 11 137 debtors and 1 786
of them have not made any payments to the local authority in the last six
months.
Ward 2, which has suburbs that include Sauerstown, Tegela,
Norwood, Richmond, Windsor Park and Glenville, Trenance North, Highmount,
Harrisvale, Queensdale,Kingsdale, Trenance, Northgate, Queens Park West and
North End has debts amounting to $5,3 million.
The Ward, the report states, has 5 959 debtors and 1 096 of
them have not made any efforts to clear their debts in last six months.
In the western suburbs, Ward 13 dominates the domestic debt
book as it owes council $5,4 million from 4 475 debtors who include 1 128 who
have not made any payments to the local authority in half a year.
The ward has Pelandaba, Iminyela and Mabutweni suburbs as
well as Kelvin North industrial site.
Ward 27 under which Pumula South and Pelandaba West suburbs
fall in the western areas owes council $4,3 million.
From the council’s report, suburbs such as Old Luveve, New
Luveve and Luveve Industries owe council the least amount just above $1,3
million from 2 692 debtors with 418 of them having not made any payments in the
last six months. .
Council said in light of the ballooning debt, it will take
drastic measures to remain afloat and provide services. Chronicle
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