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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
GOVERNMENT has approved Gweru City Council’s $3,2 billion 2021 budget, which will see tariffs going up by more than 60 percent.

Gweru mayor, Councillor Josiah Makombe, commended Government for approving their 2021 budget at the start of the year.

He said last year, they entered the month of March using the 2019 tariffs and licences template, which had made service delivery difficult.

“Our budget was approved. We are grateful because we can effect the budget now unlike last year when we went as far as March 2020 while using 2019 budget and that had a negative development on service delivery. So approved revenue budget is $2 902 198 998, capital $300 000 000 bringing the total budget to $3 202 198 998. The 2020 budget was $1 988 929 365. So percentage increase is 61 percent,” said Clr Makombe.

The 2021 budget will see service charges being increased sharply with burials going up from $1 097 to $1 600 while rentals at council-owned two-roomed houses in Mkoba will go up from $600 to about $1 100.

Occupation certificate fee for home- seekers was raised from $5 000 to $8 050 while beacon relocation costs went up to $14 490 from $9 000.

Clr Makombe said it was worrying that residents and business’ debt continues to balloon each passing month as many fail to settle their arrears.

He said they are going to effect 19 percent interest per annum on defaulting residents to force them to settle their debts which now stand at over $277 million.

GCC has also resolved to award a 20 percent discount to residents who settle their monthly bills. As of November 30, 2020, residents owed council a total of $277,719,803 in unpaid rates, water and other charges.

“Our residents seem to have shunned the goodwill shown by council as they are not honouring their bills resulting in debtors as at 30th November 2020 accumulating $277,719,803 and sadly enough the trend is going up,” he said.