By Delicious Mathuthu
Gweru residents are accusing their City Council of making unilateral decisions without consulting stakeholders following its introduction of United States dollar billing from the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG).
Now in its second month, from the 1st of April 2024, the local authority converted all it’s bills and owed accounts into US dollars from the local currency, then the Zimbabwe dollar now the ZiG, a move which residents have taken with bitterness.
“Bills are now communicated in US dollars but are payable in the currency of preference on the day of
payment, effective April 1, 2024.
“This measure aims to safeguard revenue value, vital for funding essential services like road maintenance and water supply. Additionally, I am happy to announce plans to diversify revenue sources…,” Gweru Mayor Councilor Martin Chivhoko said announcing the move in March.
Speaking to this publication recently, Gweru Residents Forum (GRF) Director, Charles Mazorodze said there is a communication gap between the local authority and its stakeholders.
“The adoption of the US dollar billing component without prior consultations with the communities, residents and business sector, leaves a lot to be desired on how Gweru City Council is managing it’s external relations as well as it’s drive to improve revenue collection levels,” he said.
He said the local authority needed to have a serious dialogue on how best to go about the process.
“They have a legal obligation to ensure that they consult communities with regards to reverting to the US dollar when you were charging or billing in Zim dollar.
“Its quite unfortunate that it was a unilateral decision that council took which has a direct bearing on how communities are going to be paying their bills,” Mazorodze said.
He said the current GCC billing system is disputed and premised on estimates which defies logic to convert the exorbitant bills to the US dollar.
He further said clarity on such issues was needed first before making key decisions like converting bills.
Mazorodze said legal precedence should have been done.
Residents began receiving the US dollar converted bills in April, most complaining that they are exorbitant.
Gweru City Council Deputy Finance Director, Owen Masimba said a standard high density suburb bill does not axceed US$35, with the lowest charge being US$11; residents however say what they get is sometimes beyond the mentioned figure, some getting more than double the stated rates.
Mazorodze further said council should not operate in silos.
“Council is not a preserve of a few councilors and management, council is for the citizens of Gweru so there is need for council to really dialogue.”
Gweru City Council Public Relations Officer, Vimbai Chingwaramusee said consultations to charge in US dollars were done and agreed to by residents during the 2024 budget consultations last year, to preserve value.
“Consultation was done during the 2024 budget consultations which was done in all wards, it was agreed that the budget will be communicated in USD so the bills will be communicated in USD but paid in the currency preferred by the client,” she said.
“Notices on social media and on traditional media were sent out.
“Before the ZiG the advantage was to preserve value as per the budget expectation,” she said.
Similar attempts by Harare and Bulawayo City Councils failed after Government said charging residents in US dollars was unlawful.
Government, then, directed all local councils to charge in local currency saying nothing can be billed in other currencies without special permission, which councils do not have.
It was further said that only residents can choose to pay bills in foreign currency using their free funds.
Politically, on conduct of councilors, Mazorodze said currently they are not answerable to anyone to ensure they advance interests of residents.
“It’s unfortunate again that there is no clarity on which political party one can make councilors account because there is no political party which is there that they belong to.
“There is now a situation where councilors do whatever they feel like without really considering the needs and aspirations of the communities,” he said.
“So this is a catch twenty two situation that we have, that most urban local authorities, Gweru included, are manned by opposition councilors who at this point in time do not have a particular political party or following any particular party ideology to inform the decisions that they are making at council.
“They actually ambushed communities, made a unilateral decision, in as much as we understand that council should be a going concern and has to operate, they also need to look at championing local economic development not just draining money from residents.”
He said there is need for an inclusive service delivery approach and good public administration.
“The constitution is very clear on what is supposed to be done; citizens must participate; participation anchored on community dialogue, community platforms where residents can deliberate on issues that concern them on a day to day basis,” Mazorodze said.
