Council blows $1,85 million on cars

MASVINGO City residents have raised concern over the rate at which the cash strapped local authority is spending following a resolution to splash $1,85 million on new vehicles that include vehicles for junior managers.

According to the latest council minutes, plans to buy five Mazda BT 50 vehicles from Willovale Motor Industries, at a cost of about $50 000 each for deputy heads of departments are at an advanced stage.

"Council plans to borrow $209 500 from the Estate Fund for the procurement of the vehicles anytime soon. The internal loan will attract a five percent interest per annum and is repaid over a period of five years. Council has also resolved to buy eight service delivery vehicles at a cost of $200 000 each with the money being borrowed from the same Estate Fund. The vehicles are Isuzu 4×4  diesel Pick-up trucks. The same terms of payment will apply to the loan," reads the minutes.

Town clerk Mr Adolf Gusha said the tender for the supply of the vehicles had been awarded to Plaza Buster Car Sales.

This comes at a time when residents are complaining that council is spending money on luxury cars at the expense of service delivery.

Residents have urged council to reclaim the vehicles which the Deputy Sheriff attached over $3, 5 million owed to workers in outstanding salaries in 2011 instead of     buying new vehicles. Masvingo Resident Trust coordinator (MRT) Mr Prosper Tiringindi accused the management of wanting to live large when residents are subjected to poor service delivery.

"We feel that the splashing of such amount of money on vehicles when we have other vehicles gathering dust at the Deputy Sherriff is not wise. Council should work on retaining the attached vehicles,' he said.

Mr  Tiringindi said council was failing to pump adequate water to supply residents despite the fact that the city's supply dam now has enough water.

He said council workers had gone for three months without receiving their salaries.

Masvingo Urban Ratepayers and Residents Alliance (MURRA) spokesperson Mr Godfrey Mutimba echoed the same sentiments saying council is taking residents for granted.

"We are the rate payers and we are perturbed by council's behaviour. Our councillors are not helping the situation because, how on earth can they approve the   purchase of luxury cars when council is cash strapped. We're being taken for granted as rate payers by council. We are not even safe from typhoid given the non-collection of refuse due to the breakdown of refuse trucks," said Mr Mutimba.