News / National
Residents threaten to boycott rate payments
13 Feb 2015 at 06:26hrs | Views
Angered by council's failure to provide an effective service delivery, Chitungwiza residents on Wednesday threatened to boycott paying rates.
The threats come at a time the dormitory town is struggling to provide water, collect refuse and repair roads.
Residents at a public meeting organised by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) in collaboration with Chitungwiza Residents' Trust (Chitrest) on socio and economic rights said council was failing to provide service yet they religiously paid their rates.
As residents in this town, they are now fed up with our local authority's failure to provide services for us and it's high time we take action by stopping to pay the rates, said Lizzy Taruvinga (43) from St Mary's suburb.
They should take this issue to the courts because it is our right to have water and the authorities should be accountable for the resources available to them.
Another resident from Zengeza 3, Benard Mazhindu, said: It is our right to have water, but the relevant authorities are always saying they are making efforts to make water available to the people yet nothing is being done.
Currently, some of us are drinking unsafe water.
Chitrest co-ordinator Marvelous Khumalo said residents were concerned about the failure by council to offer effective service delivery.
The threats come at a time the dormitory town is struggling to provide water, collect refuse and repair roads.
Residents at a public meeting organised by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) in collaboration with Chitungwiza Residents' Trust (Chitrest) on socio and economic rights said council was failing to provide service yet they religiously paid their rates.
As residents in this town, they are now fed up with our local authority's failure to provide services for us and it's high time we take action by stopping to pay the rates, said Lizzy Taruvinga (43) from St Mary's suburb.
They should take this issue to the courts because it is our right to have water and the authorities should be accountable for the resources available to them.
Another resident from Zengeza 3, Benard Mazhindu, said: It is our right to have water, but the relevant authorities are always saying they are making efforts to make water available to the people yet nothing is being done.
Currently, some of us are drinking unsafe water.
Chitrest co-ordinator Marvelous Khumalo said residents were concerned about the failure by council to offer effective service delivery.
Source - Newsday
