BY Richard Shumba
Some Gweru residents now living fear they could lose their houses, after reports that the messenger of court last week swooped on the defaulting residents in the high-density suburbs, attaching everything from stoves to sofas.
The city’s largest lobby group, Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) has also voiced out ts concern over the attachment of property of residents who are failing to settle their council bills saying that they should be given ample time to do so.
GRRA director Cornelia Seliphiwe said that the decision by the Gweru council to attach the property of residents was antagonistic and inconsiderate that many are failing to meet bread-and-butter issues.
He also emphasized the need for the council to foster mutual relationships of understanding to promote peace and harmony.
In a letter addressed to the Acting Town Clerk Livingstone Churu, dated 19 July, Seliphiwe said: “We have noted with concern that you have started attaching property of residents and it is our plea that you suspend the process and allow (for) dialogue to take place.“
We, therefore, suggest you provide residents a period to settle what they owe the council. This way of debt recovery strains relations between your office and residents.
He said the council should diversify its income strategies and not solely rely on residents to pay their bills.
“It is our thinking that we could come up with better ways of debt recovery. What surprises us is that you are attaching for as little as US$100.
Jenfen Kadondo, a Mkoba 6 resident also weighed in and bemoaned the poor services being offered by the council.
“We have not been receiving water at scheduled dates and water can go for weeks without a single drop yet you hear the council is attaching people’s property hence we are being forced to pay for services we are not enjoying,” he said.
The attachment of residents’ properties comes at a time when the local authority is failing to provide basic social services such as clean water, collection of refuse, and maintenance of roads or traffic lights.
