Bulawayo City owed $189 million

Bulawayo City Council, as of end of April 2019, was owed over ZWL$189 million by ratepayers, including government departments and the private sector, a situation that has impacted negatively on service delivery, city fathers have said.

This was revealed by mayor Solomon Mguni during a service delivery update meeting at council chambers on Wednesday.

"Debts, as at April 2019, stood at $189 297 693, with domestic consumers owing a large chunk of the money at $111 132 763, while industry owed $71 310 633, parastatals $3 868 246 and government $2 986 051," Mguni said.

"Efforts continue to be made to collect the outstanding funds through various collection strategies which include bills, notices to remind consumers of owed amounts, intensive disconnection programmes, sector web debt collection programmes and intensifying collections through legal channels."

Other factors which Mguni said were affecting service delivery include the harsh economic climate, cashflow challenges and the introduction of interbank exchange rates, resulting in the stalling of more contracts and erratic power supply.

Mguni urged ratepayers to honour their obligations to the city so that the local authority could carry out its mandate.