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Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Correspondent
Cash-strapped Chitungwiza Municipality is losing millions of dollars in potential revenue amid indications that it has over 41 000 properties, many illegally created by land barons, which are not listed in its database.

Most of these properties were created by land barons who pocketed the money prejudicing council.

In an interview yesterday, Chitungwiza Acting Town Clerk Dr Tonderai Kasu said they are not receiving payments from these stand owners yet they still rely on the council for services.

Dr Kasu said there are also households from these illegal settlements that are illegally connecting themselves to the municipal water system and are therefore receiving treated water for free.

“Areas with illegal water connections to municipal water are: Units N, O, P, M and L extensions, which have mixed council and unregularised properties and also include some properties at PaGomba in Zengeza 4,” he said.

The illegal connections were worsening the revenue problems faced by the council.

Dr Kasu said a robust and comprehensive regularisation programme was needed, so that the large numbers of people that are outside the system can be brought into the system.

Chitungwiza Residents Trust director Ms Alice Kuveya said they were also pushing for the council to regularise places like Nyatsime but it was ignoring the advice and pressure.