Suburban
Suburban Reporter
THE Harare Residents Trust (HRT) has appealed to ratepayers in the capital to pay their rates and make the city work as rates are critical to a functioning municipality.
In a statement, the residents’ body urged residents to meet their obligations and ensure service delivery takes place.
In an impassioned plea, the HRT said the city belonged to residents and they were the only stakeholders who could make it work.
“Greetings residents of Harare, the Harare Residents’ Trust urges you to play your part in contributing to the provision of essential services to you. The City of Harare needs your money in order to enable them to provide services. We might differ on how we make them more transparent and accountable, but the bottom line is that the city is ours, and only us can make it work. Let us all try to make it work by paying some money towards our rates,” said the residents’ body.
In the same statement, the HRT said it will continue to urge the City of Harare to fix its shambolic billing system. The organisation listed the following demands to the City of Harare:
*Use a functional and accurate billing system that charges correctly for council services.
*Be transparent and accountable for all the money received from ratepayers, business and Government departments.
*Change the attitude and work ethic of council workers in all departments.
*Have a more robust communications department that listens to residents and provides accurate feedback to the council system.
*Reduce rates by 50 percent across the board and introduce promotions for rates’ payment by specific dates. The more people pay their rates; the more money council has at its disposal.
*Be more flexible when addressing residents’ issues. Rigidity only affects the council.
