Harare Council officials reportedly collect huge bribes to stop water disconnections

Harare Residents Trust has made sensational claims that there are reports of Harare City Council officials who go about collecting bribes from residents to avoid being disconnected from water supplies

"There are disturbing reports from central business district companies that allege that municipal employees responsible for water supplies are getting huge amounts in bribes from these struggling businesses so that they do not disconnect their water supplies," said the Trust.

"What is reported is that when a company has say a debt of about US$10 000, the city workers arrive, intending to disconnect water supplies, and then they indicate their willingness to postpone the disconnection, so a company parts with around US$500, just to avoid being disconnected. Or where the company pays consistently, the bill continues to rise, leaving most of the businesses confused and desperate for a solution."

The trust said the level of corruption has become so systematic that it is difficult to find honest employees in the Water department.

"IN the high density and low density suburbs, desperate residents pay between US$5 - $20 in bribes, depending on the amount allegedly owed in order to avoid being disconnected, especially in suburbs where they receive regular water supplies. Glen View 1 is a typical example of a place where municipal employees are harvesting residents' money for just being in debt with council," said the trust.