CHITUNGWIZA residents and the business community have appealed to the local authority to reduce the current rates by more than half, saying the majority cannot afford to pay the US$27 required monthly.
Speaking during the third quarter strategic plan review workshop in Chinhoyi on Saturday, Chitungwiza Progressive Residents’ Association secretary-general Gift Kurupati said: "We encourage residents to pay rates on time to enable the council to do its work, but our rate card is not affordable. Let's meet halfway at US$15 because some people, such as the elderly, cannot afford to pay the exorbitant US$27.”
Chitungwiza Business Community Trust spokesperson Innocent Chikuvanyanga also urged council to reduce licence and permits fees
“Grocery shops are charged US$690 per year. We would want the council to lower the amount to US$350, which was in place in 2021. Backyard shops are being charged US$350 per quarter. This has caused some businesses to operate for over a year without licences and permits. The council should lower licences for businesses to operate and to increase revenue,” he said.
Finance committee chairperson councillor Peter Matiringe told NewsDay that council would widely consult stakeholders before formulating the 2024 budget.
“We don't want a situation whereby council forces residents to pay, otherwise, there will be resistance. Changing the rate card is heavily dependent on the residents,” he said. “Council has many other ways of raising revenue, which must be explored to realise 100% budget performance so that we are not dependent on the rate card.”
Meanwhile, Chitungwiza's revenue collection rate stood at 76% between January and August, compared to 57% during the same period last year.
"The total revenue collection rate stands at 76%. Own revenue budgeted income for eight months was ZWL$17,1 billion and the actual revenue was ZWL$13,5 billion. External funding budgeted revenue ZWL$1,7 billion and actual external funding was $0,8 billion.
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"Total budgeted income for the eight months was ZWL$18,8 billion and the actual income was ZWL$14,3 billion. There is a negative income variance of ZWL$4,5 billion during the eight-month period. The local authority’s councillors, directors and employees disclosed several factors that are hindering the local authority from achieving a 100% budget performance,” said Chitungwiza’s finance director, Evangelista Machona.
Chitungwiza mayor Lovemore Maiko said attempts to introduce new rates have been widely resisted.
"We had sort of introduced the vehicle levy with a view to mobilise resources so that we could fix our roads, which are in a deplorable state. However, it faced resistance as stakeholders said they had now been double taxed," he said.
