City rakes in $17m from ratepayers 

Source: City rakes in $17m from ratepayers | The Herald 16 OCT, 2018

Mr Chideme

Innocent Ruwende in Bulawayo
Harare City Council’s has raked in $17 million for the month of September from ratepayers, a record which has not been achieved in the past four years.

The city is now expecting between $20 to 25 million in October, the month in which the 90-day window within which ratepayers who settle their debts in full will enjoy a 50 percent discount expires.

Harare was collecting between $10 million and $12 million from potential monthly collections of $22 million.

In an interview at the Harare City Council stand for the Local Government Investment Conference which opens today in Bulawayo, the city’s corporate communications manager Mr Michael Chideme confirmed that the city’s fortunes were improving, saying most of the funds will be channelled towards service delivery initiatives.

In July, council opened a 90-day window within which ratepayers who settle their debts in full will enjoy a 50 percent discount. The offer expires on October 23.

Government, businesses and residents owe the local authority $800 million. When the city introduced a similar facility in 2016, it raked in $85 million.

“In September, we collected $17 million, up from $15 million last month.  We now have eight days to go before expiry of grace period. The bulk of the money will be channelled towards service delivery, especially roads,” he said.

“We last collected an amount close to $17 million around 2014 and 2015. In October, we are expecting between $20 and $25 million as residents jostle to benefit from the discount offer which is expiring in eight days.”

He attributed the revenue improvement to the discount offer and the revenue collection vehicles which were deployed to various districts to follow up on debtors.

“We are buying 50 scooters for debt collection and customer follow-ups. The aim is to ensure that all revenue is collected and deployed to service delivery.

The city also notified residents that it would resort to using debt collectors for defaulting residents after the lapse of the window.

“This notice serves to remind our valued ratepayers and customers that the discount promotion of 50 percent on payments ends on October 23,” said Mr Chideme.

“Thereafter, the city will engage debt collectors to recover arrears. Customers who took advantage to pay their bills have been credited with the discount as promised. Please take advantage of this opportunity and enjoy your 50 percent discount on every payment until October 23, 2018.”