News / Local
Tsholotsho launches stands repossession blitz
02 Mar 2022 at 05:39hrs | Views
PEOPLE who were allocated stands in Tsholotsho but failed to pay for them over the years, risk losing them as the Tsholotsho Rural District Council (TRDC) has started repossessing the properties.
The local authority is targeting beneficiaries who have failed to pay service charges and other rates after being allocated land.
This comes as the council is struggling with service delivery after collecting a mere 20 percent of its over $317 million 2021 budget, which prompted the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to implore the local authority to improve on its revenue collection strategies.
Council chair Councillor Esau Siwela said close to 100 stands had been targeted in the recent repossession exercise.
"We are targeting those that have not paid service charges as we have noted that some people after being allocated stands, they just pay deposit and disappear. Some paid and have not developed and we are not worried about those," said Cllr Siwela.
He said there were 66 stands that had been identified so far, and more including commercial stands that have been lying idle will be targeted.
About 12 repossessed stands have since been advertised and sold.
Cllr Siwela encouraged residents and ratepayers to pay their dues for the local authority to provide efficient service.
He said the council was worried about some of its stakeholders who are deliberately ignoring appeals to pay dues, and some of them have been reportedly influencing residents to boycott paying claiming there was corruption within the local authority.
Cllr Siwela said the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and Ministry of Local Government officials visited the council to investigate allegations of corruption and found no wrongdoing.
"Last year the council collected a mere 20 of its annual budget which was a cause for concern even for Government. We want to appeal to our stakeholders to be guided by proceedings at the council than to be influenced by some people who have an agenda against the local authority and ruling party.
"We are worried about some sections of our stakeholders who are coming up with unfounded claims of corruption in the council as they try to distract the local authority from chasing after them because they owe a lot of money. For example we have South South, a timber logging company operated by Mr Absalom Dube which owes more than US$100 000 in unpaid service charges and other rates and instead of paying, the owners have been trying to cause confusion in council," said Cllr Siwela.
Meanwhile, Government has approved TRDC $884,5 million budget for 2022.
The local authority is targeting beneficiaries who have failed to pay service charges and other rates after being allocated land.
This comes as the council is struggling with service delivery after collecting a mere 20 percent of its over $317 million 2021 budget, which prompted the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to implore the local authority to improve on its revenue collection strategies.
Council chair Councillor Esau Siwela said close to 100 stands had been targeted in the recent repossession exercise.
"We are targeting those that have not paid service charges as we have noted that some people after being allocated stands, they just pay deposit and disappear. Some paid and have not developed and we are not worried about those," said Cllr Siwela.
He said there were 66 stands that had been identified so far, and more including commercial stands that have been lying idle will be targeted.
About 12 repossessed stands have since been advertised and sold.
Cllr Siwela encouraged residents and ratepayers to pay their dues for the local authority to provide efficient service.
He said the council was worried about some of its stakeholders who are deliberately ignoring appeals to pay dues, and some of them have been reportedly influencing residents to boycott paying claiming there was corruption within the local authority.
Cllr Siwela said the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and Ministry of Local Government officials visited the council to investigate allegations of corruption and found no wrongdoing.
"Last year the council collected a mere 20 of its annual budget which was a cause for concern even for Government. We want to appeal to our stakeholders to be guided by proceedings at the council than to be influenced by some people who have an agenda against the local authority and ruling party.
"We are worried about some sections of our stakeholders who are coming up with unfounded claims of corruption in the council as they try to distract the local authority from chasing after them because they owe a lot of money. For example we have South South, a timber logging company operated by Mr Absalom Dube which owes more than US$100 000 in unpaid service charges and other rates and instead of paying, the owners have been trying to cause confusion in council," said Cllr Siwela.
Meanwhile, Government has approved TRDC $884,5 million budget for 2022.
Source - The Chronicle
