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Mr Chideme

Samantha Chigogo Herald Correspondent
Thousands of people yesterday thronged Harare City Council offices to pay outstanding bills and arrange viable payment plans following massive water disconnections.

Over 2 000 residents have been disconnected since Monday.

The city’s acting corporate communications manager Mr Michael Chideme said there was no going back on water disconnections.

“Over 2 000 defaulters have been disconnected and we have engaged Well Cash Debt Collectors to collect all overdue accounts,” he said.

“Disconnections began on Monday and they are still ongoing till Friday. We will not be distracted by a few resisting residents because, already measures are in place to ensure that each and every defaulter is disconnected.”

Mr Chideme said if for any reason homeowners failed to give access to council officers, water would be disconnected from outside with the attendant costs being met by the property owner.”

He said panicking residents were showing cooperation by making payment plans.

“Following the disconnections, a lot of people are coming in numbers at our offices to pay their outstanding bills,” Mr Chideme said.

“We are also accommodating all the defaulting residents facing challenges in paying their bills to visit our offices and make payment plans.”

However, a snap survey by The Herald also revealed that some residents in the affected suburbs expressed disgruntlement over bills for what they called a “non-existent” service.

“We have not been receiving water for several months now and we have since resorted to boreholes,” said a Msasa resident.

“We are not moved by the disconnections, it is worrying that we never get the water but are still billed monthly. How does Harare City Council bill us for something they are failing supply?”

Another resident, Mr Tatenda Tshuma, of Alexandra Park urged city council to improve on water supply so that residents can readily pay up their bills on time and appreciate the value of their money.

“It is a shame that we hear of city council executives and how they shamelessly award themselves huge holiday allowances at the cost of the city’s service delivery. If they could provide regular water supplies, we would pay our bills,” he said.

Harare City recently announced that it would disconnect defaulters in 20 suburbs who owe the council $331 million as it got the go-ahead to disconnect water supplies without a court order provided it follows provisions of Harare (Water) By-Laws S1 64-1913.

The affected suburbs are Mt Pleasant, Strathaven, Avondale West, Avonlea, Mabelreign, Borrowdale West, Arcadia, Amby, Msasa Park, Alexandra Park, Beverly, , Bluffhill, Budiriro, Crowborough, Dzivaresekwa, Mufakose, Kuwadzana, Kambuzuma and Warren Park as well as the central business district and industrial areas.