Source: Council to shame defaulters | The Herald June 26, 2019
Mr Chideme Yeukai Karengezeka Herald Correspondent
Harare City Council has said it will name and shame individuals and companies who have not been paying rates.The city, which is experiencing low revenue inflows is failing to offer reliable service delivery due to financial constraints.
In an interview, HCC corporate communications manager Mr Michael Chideme said the move is aimed at bringing accountability to those owing the local authority.
“The idea is to make everybody accountable so that those people who owe us large amounts can also pay. There are also people who complain everyday over service delivery issues, but they are not contributing anything to council.
“So by naming and shaming them, we hope they also come on board and help the city to grow,” he said.
COMMENTS
When you pay for a service you expect to receive it, when you pay for a service and you do not receive it the natural course of action is to stop paying for the service.
The city council has many challenges to overcome and it is not only because of lack of payment that they cannot fulfill all their obligations, but when you are paying rates does that guarantee you that you will be provided with the services? No it does not, maybe their is no fuel for garbage trucks, or materials for maintenance tasks or vehicles, but you are still expected to pay your full rates simply because. Because of what?
You cannot spend years taking advantage of people, not supplying the services you are being paid for and then come crying about outstanding debts when people have enough and stop paying for nothing.
Get your act together, deliver services and then people will be happy to pay, or continue doing less that what is expected and continue fighting with people for money that they don’t want to pay for nothing.