Masvingo (Masvingo Star-New Ziana) – The Masvingo City Council has threatened to disconnect water to government departments and institutions unless they show a commitment to clear their debts.

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Wellington Mahwende said the local authority had recently engaged the Minister of State for Masvingo Province, Ezra Chadzamira outlining the council’s decision to disconnect water to government departments and institutions but were advised to write to the affected departments before carrying out the disconnections.

According to the latest council minutes, Masvingo’s low density areas have the largest chunk of debts amounting to $41 393 053,95 as at 31 August 2019 compared to that of the high density areas of $7 811565,41 on the same date, bringing the total owed to the local authority to $49 204 619,36 while institutional debtors owe $27 307 052, 20.

The Finance and General Purposes Committee recommended that the council seek a meeting with the parent Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to discuss the issue of government debts given council’s poor financial position.

The committee noted that in the event of government not committing itself to settling its debts, disconnections would be effected.

It was suggested that council disconnect water supplies to all institutional debtors and handover for debt collection all defaulting schools/institutional debtors.

Last week, it was reported that the council is failing to settle its arrears of over $10 million to the Local Authorities Pension Fund (LAPF), being a portion of an actuarial deficit accrued for the period up to December 31, 2017.

Masvingo Star-New Ziana