WARD 18 villagers from Gwanda South District have rejected their Rural District
Council 2024 proposed development levy saying it is unrealistic and not people-
driven.
The RDC began its budget consultations with villagers on Tuesday last week as it
sought ratepayers’ input before adoption.
The proposed increase to USD$10 for development levy sparked controversy as
villagers noted that they we struggling to raise the current USD$2.
Gilbert Dube from Tshanyaugwe Village proposed $5 instead of the council’s $10.
“Even salaries are not increased by 100 percent, yet you are increasing the
development levy by more than 300 percent.
“This is unrealistic and not possible for rural folk to raise such an amount. We are
struggling to put a meal on our tables and yet you expect people to pay this
exorbitant amount!
“Now you are talking about inflation, who devalues the American dollar? Instead of
your proposed $10, I suggest $5 if the meetings is agreeable,” said Dube.
Another villager, Robert Dube from Major Village, seconded the proposal which was
later settled on by the meeting.
RDC’s Engineer Washington Lunga told the villagers that council proposed to
increase their tariffs by 20 percent but not for everything.
“We have raised our tariff by 20 percent considering that everything has been eroded
by inflation.
The increase is being initiated by fuel costs, servicing of pool cars and salaries
increase by 5 percent, hence we were compelled to increase by 20 percent.
“However, some charges will remain unchanged, especially on licences,” explained
Eng Lunga.
He added that from the total amount of the development levy, 70 percent goes back
to the community where members of the community can decide on how to use it.
Other villagers castigated the local authority for prioritising purchase of vehicles at
the expense of service delivery.
Ward 18 Councillor Mphathiswa Ncube, who also chairs local authority and the
provincial council, told the meeting that council has already purchased some earth
moving equipment to be used for the roads works.
“As council, we are hitting the ground running. This is not a promise but reality.
Come month end, you will see heavy machinery grading Tshanyaugwe-Buvuma
Road.
“Council has purchased a motorised grader and front-end loader, so very soon you
will be seeing the yellow machines working here,” said Ncube.
