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Runesu Gwidi Masvingo Correspondent
Gutu Rural District Council has clashed with three mission schools over their failure to pay development levy and the issue is now almost spilling into the courts. Council accused Gutu, Dewure and Alheit high schools of failing to pay a combined $13 500 in levies and had engaged the services of debt collectors.

Gutu RDC chief executive Mr Alexander Mtembwa yesterday said his council had settled its dispute with the three mission schools over development levy.

He said the three institutions had been on the verge of losing their movable and immovable property before they settled their arrears.

“Mission schools are obliged to remit development levy in accordance with provisions of Section 96 of the Rural District Council Act. As a local authority we are allowed at law to engage the Deputy Sheriff or debt collectors for attachment of property from defaulters.”

“Private schools are supposed to pay development levy of $4 500 per annum to the local authority, while council schools are supposed to remit 10 percent of the total revenue they collect,” Mr Mtembwa said.
Gutu RDC chief executive said the three schools could have avoided the legal stand-off had they not sought to defy council’s directive for them to accept their liability on the development levy.

He said Gutu RDC was struggling to offer effective service delivery owing to failure by ratepayers to settle more than $1 million in arrears.
“Now that we managed to solve our stand-off with the three high schools it is our hope that from now going forward they will pay their levies on time,” Mr Mtembwa added.