The blitz is also targeting those that are using stolen
water meters.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Harare City Council
spokesperson Mr Innocent Ruwende said under the exercise, council would impose
a mandatory minimum two-year penalty regardless of the period of connection.
“We are disconnecting everyone who might have been
illegally connected. When they want to reconnect they have to pay for
connecting illegally and tampering with water meters which is a serious
offence.
“Therefore, we are going to charge them for accessing water
for two years, regardless of the period they would have connected. We are using
a standard measurement of 20 cubic metres which costs $3 140. This means that
the minimum that an offender has to pay is $3 140 multiplied by 24 months,
which is about $75 000.”
Ratepayers owe council more than $13 billion in unpaid
rates.
According to a schedule provided to The Sunday Mail,
ordinary residents owe the Harare City Council $5 billion, commercial clients
have a debt of $3, 8 billion while industry is $2, 2 billion in the red.
Government owes $507, 5 million while the debts for sundry
and miscellaneous are pegged at $1, 9 billion. Sunday Mail
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