Gweru City Council has started consultations with businesses and residents with a $500 million budget having been proposed for the year 2020.

This was revealed by acting finance director, Owen Masimba, who also disclosed that the local authority faces a deficit of over $20 million after the 2019 budget was eroded by inflation. He said:

The proposal is also premised on the fact that not much has been achieved under the 2019 budget and as such it is a standstill budget which is being rolled over by factoring movements in the costs of building upon the various service line items.

… as of today (yesterday), a single cylinder of chlorine costs at $75 000 and just imagine we have been operating with a 2019 budget which was approved in 2018 so we have a serious budget overrun.

Gweru has of late been facing water challenges due to the depletion of its main water reservoir, Gwenhoro Dam. As a result, the City Fathers intend to buy high-level water pumps for the Amapongobwe Water Project.

More: Chronicle