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Michael Magoronga Midlands Correspondent
Kwekwe City Council has engaged debt collectors to recover more than $43 million that it is owed by companies and individual ratepayers, which will enable it to improve service delivery.

The debt collectors, Mutatu and Partners Legal Practitioners, have been distributing letters advising ratepayers to settle outstanding bills within a week.

“We are instructed to demand as we hereby do, payment together with our collection commission within seven days hereof.

“If you fail to do so, we shall proceed to court without further notice,” read one of the letter signed by Ms Primrose Mutatu.

Kwekwe Town Clerk Mr Emmanuel Musara said the local authority has been operating on a shoestring budget, hence the move to engage debt collectors.

“We need to improve service delivery and ratepayers have to play their part by paying what they owe council.

“We were left with no option but to engage our lawyers over the non-payment of rates by the residents and companies,” he said.

Kwekwe City treasurer Ms Rejoice Maweni said Ziscosteel owed council over $16 million and Redcliff Municipality $3,1 million and individual households owe a total of $24 million, while schools owe council $71 000.

“Redcliff Municipality had promised to pay $40 000 every month, but unfortunately they are not paying anything towards offsetting their bill that has since ballooned from $2 million to $3,1 million,” she said.

Schools, she said were also not paying, which has affected service delivery.

“Amaveni High owes council $18 000, Emthonjeni $12 000 and Kushinga Primary $10 000.

Seriously, in as much as we want to deliver service, everyone should be playing their part,” said Ms Maweni.

She said council had already asked councillors to engage schools and urge them to offset their bills to ensure improved service delivery.

Council has also introduced a number of strategies, including launching a mobile application to try and boost its coffers.

“As part of ease of doing business, we recently launched a mobile application that ratepayers can download on their phones and use to pay bills, enquire balance or lodge a complaint like refuse pipe or water pipe bursts among other services,” said Ms Maweni.