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Blessings Chidakwa in Chegutu
CHEGUTU residents yesterday demonstrated against poor service delivery at Town House where they gave management a seven-day ultimatum to resign or face a series of protests.

The demonstrators, led by Combined Chegutu Residents and Ratepayers Association president Mr Moffat Tembo, demanded a caretaker commission to run the town.

They were singing, dancing and chanting anti-council management slogans before handing over a petition to Chegutu West legislator Cde Dexter Nduna.

Cde Nduna, who was tasked to forward the petition to Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo, said management had outlived its lifespan and was now swindling ratepayers’ funds.

“I have been given a petition of corruption and mismanagement taking place at Chegutu Town Council and I will submit it to Local Government Minister July Moyo, who is the head of councils in Zimbabwe, and also to the Auditor-General Ms Mildred Chiri, so that a forensic audit be done. Management is living luxuriously, purchasing personal vehicles when employees have a seven-month salary backlog,” he said.

According to the petition in possession of The Herald, residents are demanding an immediate investigation into the affairs of Chegutu Town Council and a forensic audit at the council’s expense as well as the firing of the entire executive.

“Residents shall exercise their constitutional right and camp outside the Town House in seven days’ time until the managers step down,” reads the petition.

“Sewer reticulation system needs serious attention. Most of the council’s water pipes were laid during the colonial era and have not been replaced. In 2008, the town was also hit hard by a cholera outbreak that killed about 1 000 people and residents are still anxious over a possible return of the deadly bacterial infection. Worse can happen if there is no intervention.

“It is worrying that the rest of Chegutu has not been receiving water for the past eight years. This is despite the fact that the area has been receiving adequate rainfall, but there are residential areas like Pfupajena high density suburb that has no water yet the residents pay monthly water charges to council.”

In the petition, residents said lack of water is a clear violation of the Constitution that guarantees a right to safe, clean and potable water.

“The dire water situation clearly borders on incompetence, corruption and failure to prioritise service delivery on the part of leadership. A small council like Chegutu cannot fail to provide such a basic necessities to a small population,” reads the petition.