Zimpapers Logo

Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has pledged to avail $7,5 million foreign currency to Harare City Council to fund the local authority’s critical imports required to improve service delivery.

The city council last year bought various road equipment and 30 refuse compactors from automotive manufacturing company, FAW Group Corporation, for $3,1 million, some of which have been delivered together with five rollers.

Harare mayor Councillor Herbert Gomba said the rest of the equipment, which includes 15 refuse compactors, graders and rollers, are still stuck outside the country owing to foreign currency shortages.

“Last week we held a meeting with RBZ governor (Dr John Mangudya),” he said. “All we were looking for was to have access to US dollars. He promised to avail funds and we will give him necessary documents for him to release the anticipated $7,5 million which we require now to stabilise our operations and to pay for our equipment.

“If we manage to do that, we will be able to improve on the services that we are offering. The money is meant to buy bitumen and bring in road equipment that has been stuck.

“It includes three graders, steam rollers, bitumen distributors and refuse trucks which have been in South Africa.”

Government last year approved a request by Harare City Council to borrow $30 million to buy additional refuse trucks and equipment for road maintenance.

The money is also set to be used to revamp parks and cemeteries, capacitate the city’s architect, waste management, Harare Municipal Police, traffic law enforcement and valuation, and estates, among other departments.