Schools, churches  owe council $8m

Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
Top Harare schools owe Harare City Council over $4 million in water bills and rates, despite charging exorbitant school fees.

Harare is owed $700 million by all its customers and is contemplating legal action. According to the list of debtors seen by The Herald, Moffat Primary School owes council $406 056 and Herentals College $411 529.

Churchill Boys High School owes $265 880, Allan Wilson $342 839, Morgan High School $206 847, Admiral Tait $118 939, Vainona High $109 941, Cranborne Boys High $123 398 and Prince Edward $88 491.

Harare Polytechnic owes council $252 614. Also among the biggest debtors is Belvedere Teachers College with $109 413, Blackiston Infant $102 848, Selbourne Routledge $133 437, Denmark College $237 820, TelOne Telecoms College $144 470 and Speciss College $165 402.

The schools and colleges owe council a combined $4,1 million. Churches are also defaulting and council is threatening to cancel their leases.

They owe over $3,8 million. Estates agents and hotels’ debt to council stands at $1,9 million. “City of Harare will be grateful if the under listed schools and colleges make an effort to settle their debts to avoid litigation,” reads the final reminder to schools.

“Their positive effort will enable the city to fulfil its mandate to provide efficient service delivery and achieve its objective of World Class City Status by year 2025.”

The city also sent a final reminder to church defaulters. Celebration Church leads the pack owing $846 564, Apostolic Faith Mission $682 231, Seventh Day Adventist $615 964 and Salvation Army $309 511.

“If no positive steps are taken, council will be forced to invoke the conditions of the lease by terminating lease agreements as well as institute legal proceedings to recover the arrears, council reserves the right to regret applications and new allocation to any defaulting churches,” it said.

Topping the list of defaulting hotels is Dawson Hotel at $463 296, Cresta Lodge $388 986, Ambassador Hotel $360 215, Courtney $346 733, Meikles Hotel $208 188 and Budget Hotel $231 047.

Other defaulters are Dawn Properties $1,7 million, Knight Frank $962 605, Robert Roots $355 100, Mining Industry Pension Fund $117 060, First Mutual $140 928, Croco Motors 244 626 and Bard Real Estate $68 016.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey