Masvingo residents reject refuse truck levy

MASVINGO - Residents have blocked the move by their local authority to introduce a special levy to raise money to buy a refuse truck saying council should find other ways of raising the money instead of overburdening them as most of them are struggling to pay council bills for water and other service charges.

The council also wants to phase out street cleaners and replace them with health clubs that will be paid very little allowances compared to what is being paid to the street cleaners.

According to latest council minutes, the local authority is planning to introduce $2 monthly levy per household to raise money to buy the refuse truck.

But Masvingo United Ratepayers and Residents Association (MURRA) coordinator, Anotida Muguti said residents were opposed to the new  levy because they were already struggling to pay council bills.

Muguti said council was being insensitive to residents' plight by resorting to special levies given that most residents were in arrears     for water bills and other service charges.

"Yes, we've seen the report in question. On behalf of residents I don't think we should be punished for council's mismanagement. They could have resolved their standoff with workers and avoided the attachment of council property. If they had listened to advice from residents, all the problems the  council is facing woudn't be there. The refuse collection trucks would be there today," said Muguti.

He said last year residents were made to pay another special levy  to fund a Zesa power line to the  sewer system which is yet to be completed.

"We can't keep on paying for the council's incompetence," he said.

The Town Clerk, Adolf Gusha confirmed that council was considering introducing a special levy to raise money to buy a refuse truck.

He however, was quick to point that council was likely to drop the idea given the prevailing economic situation.