Harare hikes rates

Harare City Council has proposed rate hikes that will see an average high-density suburban householder paying $2 387 a month, up from the present $1 736, from January for basic services, while a low density family will pay an average of $7 630 up from the present $4 558.

Under the city's $41,8 billion proposed budget for next year, ambulance calls rise to $1 980 up from $820.

In terms of rates and service charges, high-density suburban residents will be charged $615 up from $575 the first five cubic metres of water, refuse collection $778 from $565, minimum property tax $594 from $345 and sewer connections $400 from $250.

Those in the low density suburbs will be charged $820 for the first five cubic metres of water up from $765, sewer connections $540 up from $410, refuse $1 112 up from $803 and with a minimum property tax of $5 158 up from $2 580.

The business community sees increased fees, with the collection of bins in commercial and industrial areas depending on the frequency per week, daily collection will be $2 224,74 up from $1 632, three times a week will be $2 691, 94 up from $1 782.

The local authority is also pushing for a massive hike in rents for the houses its owns.

In Glaudina, houses will be rented for $22 538 up from $9 300, in Glen Norah the semi-detached houses will be rented for $15 799 up from $6 504.

In Dzivaresekwa (terraced full unit) tenants will pay $7 753 up from $3 200.

Even in essential health services, maternity fees have slightly risen with expecting mothers set to pay $2 475 up from $2 000.

Justifying the proposed hiked rates yesterday at Town House, finance and development chairperson councillor Tichavona Mhetu said the budget was drawn under the theme, ‘Building resilience: Towards Sustainable Service Delivery.'

According to the proposal, the capital budget will be $10,367 billion, while revenue collections will contribute $31,506 billion.

Clr Mhetu said the theme seeks to address key service delivery issues as water, sanitation and hygiene, roads and health sectors and ensure that the city provides sustainable service delivery.

"This theme is in line with the thrust of council in 2022 to ensure sustainability in the water sector, to manage solid waste effectively and to ensure that our roads are more trafficable," Cllr Mhetu.

"By building resilience for sustainable service delivery, we will be developing the launch pad for the transformation of Harare into a smart city by 2025."

Clr Mhetu said the budget also seeks to take care of gender issues, as it clearly states programmes, which address aspects like provision of maternity services to all women within the environs of the City of Harare.

"The Budget seeks to ensure gender responsive service delivery hence the focus is predominantly water, sanitation and hygiene," he said.

"This is so because we are alive to the fact that women and girls are the most affected by poor service delivery in these sectors."

Clr Mhetu said the council has put in place five pillars including revenue maximisation, operational and technical efficiency, employee motivation and productivity, and good governance.

This will be coupled with making hard and unpopular decisions in closing all revenue leaks and eradicating corruption.