News / National
Victoria Falls in massive water disconnections
05 Sep 2017 at 06:38hrs | Views
VICTORIA Falls Municipality has embarked on a massive water disconnection exercise in violation of a recent High Court ruling that such action is illegal without a court order.
Hundreds of Victoria Falls residents in Mfelandawonye suburb in Ward 11 were cut off by council on Friday for failure to settle outstanding rates.
Those targeted owe hundreds of dollars while some defaulted in the payment plans entered into a few months ago.
Responding to emailed questions yesterday, the municipality Chamber Secretary Ms Kholwani Mangena said the council is owed $6 623 288 by residents.
Both residents and businesses owe the council in excess of $15 million while the local authourity owes service providers more than $8 million.
"Those currently affected are mainly the non-responsive clients who do not come to make payment plans as well as those who are not paying anything towards their monthly consumption and those who have defaulted on their payment plans," said Ms Mangena.
She said the exercise is not a blitz.
"As an operational norm, VFM has been inviting all its debtors to come forward to make payment plans towards their obligations so that the local authority continues to offer them high- quality services and be able to buy raw water, pay for electricity and procure chemicals and spares," the Chamber Secretary said.
She could not be drawn into revealing the number of those disconnected, saying the figure continues to fluctuate.
Ms Mangena said some residents have honoured their obligations by making arrangements to settle their bills.
She said even though they do not have a court order authourising them to cut water supplies, they had not violated the High Court ruling as the amounts they were demanding were not in dispute.
Residents from the affected suburb have resorted to asking for water from neighbours who were not disconnected as there are no public boreholes around the area.
Victoria Falls Combined Residents Association chairman Mr Morgen Dube urged affected residents to approach the association to find the way forward.
On Sunday, some residents from Mfelandawonye convened and selected six representatives to engage the council on their behalf.
In May this year, the High Court upheld previous rulings that it is illegal for Harare City Council to disconnect water supplies to defaulting businesses and residents without a court order.
In 2004, Justice Chinembiri Bhunu ruled that Section 8 of the Water By-Law, which empowers local authorities to cut water supplies without a court order, was in breach of Section 77 and 44 of the Constitution.
The two sections guarantee the right to safe and clean water and compel Government to respect fundamental human rights.
Hundreds of Victoria Falls residents in Mfelandawonye suburb in Ward 11 were cut off by council on Friday for failure to settle outstanding rates.
Those targeted owe hundreds of dollars while some defaulted in the payment plans entered into a few months ago.
Responding to emailed questions yesterday, the municipality Chamber Secretary Ms Kholwani Mangena said the council is owed $6 623 288 by residents.
Both residents and businesses owe the council in excess of $15 million while the local authourity owes service providers more than $8 million.
"Those currently affected are mainly the non-responsive clients who do not come to make payment plans as well as those who are not paying anything towards their monthly consumption and those who have defaulted on their payment plans," said Ms Mangena.
She said the exercise is not a blitz.
"As an operational norm, VFM has been inviting all its debtors to come forward to make payment plans towards their obligations so that the local authority continues to offer them high- quality services and be able to buy raw water, pay for electricity and procure chemicals and spares," the Chamber Secretary said.
She could not be drawn into revealing the number of those disconnected, saying the figure continues to fluctuate.
Ms Mangena said some residents have honoured their obligations by making arrangements to settle their bills.
She said even though they do not have a court order authourising them to cut water supplies, they had not violated the High Court ruling as the amounts they were demanding were not in dispute.
Residents from the affected suburb have resorted to asking for water from neighbours who were not disconnected as there are no public boreholes around the area.
Victoria Falls Combined Residents Association chairman Mr Morgen Dube urged affected residents to approach the association to find the way forward.
On Sunday, some residents from Mfelandawonye convened and selected six representatives to engage the council on their behalf.
In May this year, the High Court upheld previous rulings that it is illegal for Harare City Council to disconnect water supplies to defaulting businesses and residents without a court order.
In 2004, Justice Chinembiri Bhunu ruled that Section 8 of the Water By-Law, which empowers local authorities to cut water supplies without a court order, was in breach of Section 77 and 44 of the Constitution.
The two sections guarantee the right to safe and clean water and compel Government to respect fundamental human rights.
Source - online
