BY STEPHEN CHADENGA
GWERU City Council has, through the Messenger of Court, begun attaching assets of residents with outstanding bills.
Residents say some ratepayers’ property has already been attached.
In May last year, council sued at least 100 ratepayers who owed it over $2 million dating back to October 2019.
The local authority, however, suspended the move after residents protested.
Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association director Cornelia Selipiwe told Southern Eye that they were making frantic efforts to stop council from attaching defaulters’ property.
“Unfortunately, town clerk Vakai Chikwekwe is said to be in Harare and the mayor (Hamutendi Kombayi) is not in his office,” Selipiwe said.
Both Chikwekwe and Kombayi could not be reached for comment yesterday.
But deputy mayor Cleopas Shiri said he had been “shocked” by the reports before referring questions to Chikwekwe and council spokesperson Vimbai Chingwaramusee.
Chingwaramusee could also not be reached for comment either.
Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Development Association Trust executive director David Chikore urged council to engage the courts and ensure the attached property does not incur charges.
“We sincerely hope our councillors and management are taking on board the suggestions we made so that our fellow residents are spared from daily storage charges on property attached,” he
said.
The local authority is owed nearly $2 billion in unpaid bills by ratepayers.
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