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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
BEITBRIDGE town council has proposed an $8.8 million budget for 2016 in which tariffs and charges remain the same. Acting finance director Anymore Mbedzi unveiled the proposed budget during a stakeholders’ consultative meeting in the border town on Monday.

He said about $2.7 million would be channelled towards major capital projects such as construction of a new bus terminus, laboratory at Vhembe High School, procurement of a paving machine, construction of a town council workshop, setting up of modern flea market stalls, upgrading Dulibadzimu Stadium, setting up a satellite clinic in the Hlalani Kuhle area, installing prepaid water meters and tarring roads.

“We’re expecting a total income of $8,825,108.54 and an expenditure of $8,824,040.50 with a surplus of $1,068.04,” said Mbedzi.

He said they had entered into private public partnerships with private land developers for the servicing of over 3,700 residential stands. Mbedzi said council had also set aside $200,000 for installing prepaid water meters and a further $312,000 for tarring major link roads in the border town.

The acting finance director said council was concerned with non-payment of rates and services by residents, which has seen them owing other service providers such as the Zimbabwe National Water Authority.

“We owe Zinwa a total of $10.5m as from 2009 while residents owe us $3.5 million in water charges. Our current budget did not perform as per expectations because people aren’t paying for services we’re offering,” said Mbedzi.

“It’s important that they pay for services and rates if we’re to move forward.”

During the same meeting, town secretary, Loud Ramakgapola, said the local authority was open to public private partnerships in areas around infrastructure development.

He added that council has availed land for people to build three storey buildings among other key infrastructure.

“As one of the fastest growing urban centres in the country, Beitbridge is endowed with a number of investment opportunities,” Ramakgapola said.

The district administrator Simon Muleya urged residents to pay their bills on time to ensure there was accelerated service delivery in the area. “It’s sad that very few people are paying their rates and the only way we can move ahead as a community is complementing each other so that we can change the face of our town,” he said.