News / National
Harare council plans massive water cuts on Wednesday
09 Aug 2015 at 08:44hrs | Views
Harare City Council plans to embark on massive water cuts starting Wednesday to customers owing above $100.
Council seeks to recover over $70 million owed by residents and companies.
The local authority has since June this year taken over 4 000 defaulting customers to court while at least 1 000 warrants to attach properties have been issued to water debtors.
Warrants of execution will be served to residents in Mt Pleasant, Westlea, Kambuzuma, Highfield, Malbourough, Rugare and Budiriro.
The move is in defiance to a High Court ruling that outlawed Section 8 of the Water By-law Statutory Instrument 164 which empowered local authorities to cut water supplies arbitrarily in the absence of a court order.
Last year, Justice Chinembiri Bhunu issued an order against disconnecting water supplies to defaulting customers arguing the action was in breach of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Section 77.
Harare City Council water distribution and customer services manager, Engineer Hosiah Chisango said water disconnections would be effected despite a court ruling against the move.
"We made an appeal on the court ruling and the ruling is yet to be made, but we cannot wait for the ruling so we are continuing with disconnections," he said.
"We have come up with an action plan and the exercise will be done in all residential suburbs. We are hoping to collect as much as we can so that we boost the local authorities coffers.
"We will disconnect for customers with debts ranging from $100 upwards. We will also be issuing summons worth more than US$40 million and warrants worth US$33 million in all residential suburbs in Harare," he added.
Council seeks to recover over $70 million owed by residents and companies.
The local authority has since June this year taken over 4 000 defaulting customers to court while at least 1 000 warrants to attach properties have been issued to water debtors.
Warrants of execution will be served to residents in Mt Pleasant, Westlea, Kambuzuma, Highfield, Malbourough, Rugare and Budiriro.
The move is in defiance to a High Court ruling that outlawed Section 8 of the Water By-law Statutory Instrument 164 which empowered local authorities to cut water supplies arbitrarily in the absence of a court order.
Harare City Council water distribution and customer services manager, Engineer Hosiah Chisango said water disconnections would be effected despite a court ruling against the move.
"We made an appeal on the court ruling and the ruling is yet to be made, but we cannot wait for the ruling so we are continuing with disconnections," he said.
"We have come up with an action plan and the exercise will be done in all residential suburbs. We are hoping to collect as much as we can so that we boost the local authorities coffers.
"We will disconnect for customers with debts ranging from $100 upwards. We will also be issuing summons worth more than US$40 million and warrants worth US$33 million in all residential suburbs in Harare," he added.
Source - Sunday Mail
