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Midlands Correspondent
THE Gweru City Council has given companies and individuals a six-month ultimatum to settle their bills failure of which it would take legal action to recover the $35 million owed.The decision comes after a series of demonstrations by the Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA), which opposed the attachment of residents’ properties for non-payment of bills.

A raft of measures have been put in place by council to encourage residents to settle their bills among them a 20 percent discount for those who settle their outstanding bills.

At the same time those who are not in arrears will enjoy a 30 percent discount when they settle their monthly bills.

Finance committee chairperson, Councillor Albert Chirau, warned of attachment of property for those residents who would not have settled their bills at the end of the six months grace period.

“What we’ve done is temporarily suspend the attachment of residents’ properties because we realised that the process wasn’t done properly as some people with current bills were also handed over to debt collectors,” he said.

“We’ve therefore given residents six months to settle their bills. During this period they’ll enjoy percentage discount on the total bill. Those who’ve been religiously paying their bills and don’t owe council will enjoy a 30 percent discount.”

Clr Chirau urged residents to come forward and make payment plans so that they enjoy discount facility.

The local authority has also extended to June 30, this year a 50 percent discount, which was dangled to industry and commerce to entice those with outstanding bills to settle them.

The facility, which was extended to  business in August last year, expired last December.

Council has been battling to offer basic services and paying its workers on time and hopes the latest measures will increase revenue inflows to its coffers.