News / Local
Bulawayo owed $3,5m by central govt in unpaid water bills
10 Aug 2015 at 09:47hrs | Views
GOVERNMENT debt in unpaid water bills to the struggling Bulawayo City Council has shot to $3,5 million up from $3,2 million recorded in June, latest council minutes have shown.
According to the minutes, the Ministry of Education topped the list with a $1, 330 254 debt followed by the Ministry of Home Affairs with a staggering $906 464 outstanding bill.
"At the beginning of the month $3,217 781 was owed by Government.
"The debt increased to $3 573 075 by the end of June 2015 due to non-payment of the accounts by some departments," latest minutes of the finance and development committee meeting read in part.
Council said the failure by government and other debtors to settle their bills was choking its operations, and further putting a strain on its budget.
The local authority has since embarked on water disconnections to defaulting customers, mainly residents, but spared government departments.
Bulawayo deputy mayor Gift Banda said government departments also cited the poor state of the economy for their failure to settle their bills on time.
According to the minutes, the Ministry of Education topped the list with a $1, 330 254 debt followed by the Ministry of Home Affairs with a staggering $906 464 outstanding bill.
"At the beginning of the month $3,217 781 was owed by Government.
"The debt increased to $3 573 075 by the end of June 2015 due to non-payment of the accounts by some departments," latest minutes of the finance and development committee meeting read in part.
Council said the failure by government and other debtors to settle their bills was choking its operations, and further putting a strain on its budget.
The local authority has since embarked on water disconnections to defaulting customers, mainly residents, but spared government departments.
Bulawayo deputy mayor Gift Banda said government departments also cited the poor state of the economy for their failure to settle their bills on time.
Source - Southern Eye
