Some families whose apartments and properties were destroyed by fire in <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Mbare">Mbare</a> suburb’s Matapi flat in 2017 are reportedly living in a beerhall.
The <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Combined_Harare_Residents_Association_(CHRA)">Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)</a> says they did not get enough assistance and have now resorted to staying in a disused Zororo beer hall near Mukuvisi River. Said CHRA in a statement:
<blockquote>
<h2>MATAPI FLATS INFERNO VICTIMS LIVING IN BEERHALL</h2>
Families of the Matapi Flat that was razed down by fire five years ago are living in a Council Beer Hall known as Zororo Bar after failing to get alternative accommodation.
In 2017 Matapi Flats Block 5 Southern was destroyed by fire leaving the tenants of fourteen families homeless and exposed to serious health risks.
Since their flat was destroyed by fire the families have not found help, a situation that has seen them living in the disused Council Beerhall which is near Mukuvisi River.
After the destruction of the Matapi Flat by fire, the victims of the fire lived in a hall which was open to members of the public and then later were relocated to the Beerhall for the purposes of privacy.
</blockquote>
One of the women residing at the place told CHRA that they were relocated into the Beerhall following the inferno. She said the environment at the beer hall is not safe for children who can be raped or abused.
CHRA reports that the place has only one toilet which is also used by vendors and there have been perennial sewer bursts exposing the tenants to waterborne diseases.
The tenants are appealing to the government for the provision of alternative safe accommodation or land where they can build their own houses.
Fourteen families of a total of 50 people including children have been living in the disused Beerhall.

<ul>
<li class="entry-title"><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2021/07/01/18-families-left-homeless-as-minor-ignites-fire-in-matapi-flats/">18 Families Left Homeless As Minor Ignites Fire In Matapi Flats</a></li>
</ul>
CHRA is calling for humanitarian intervention for the victims of the inferno and urges the government and the local authority to find alternative shelter or housing stands for the victims.
The association says Section 28 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe directs the state and agencies of government to take legislative and other measures to enable every person to have access to adequate shelter.
<h2><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h2>

Pindula News

Victims Of Mbare Matapi Fire Living In A Beerhall

Harare residents have told city authorities to value their pre-budget input saying consultations should not just be a formality. 
They made the remarks during consultations that commenced yesterday in ward 10, Sunningdale.
<a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Combined_Harare_Residents_Association_(CHRA)">Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)</a> acting director Ruben Akili told <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2022/08/value-our-pre-budget-input-residents-tell-hcc/">NewsDay</a> that the residents’ pre-budget input is not reflected in the final documents by the local government authority. Akili said:
<blockquote>
We encourage residents to attend these meetings so that they give their input. But these should not be cosmetic or mere ticking of boxes to say that the consultations have been carried out. We anticipate that the residents’ input will be captured and prioritised in the 2023 budget. Our observation is that in some instances residents’ needs are not captured. There is no political will.
For example, there is a crèche in Warren Park D whose construction started in the early 90s, but it is still incomplete. Budgeting towards that has been done several times. Where are we spending the money? When residents lack answers they will do deliberate disengagement.
We saw the local authority spending US$136 000 at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. That money can even buy a refuse truck or finish a building, but it was blown within three days in Bulawayo. A total of 60 people from Harare City Council went to the ZITF, which is not a priority.
</blockquote>
Akili urged the authorities to avoid being partisan when they invite people for pre-budget consultations as that will hinder discussion on pertinent issues.
Harare Residents Trust director <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Precious_Shumba">Precious Shumba</a> encouraged the council not to lease some of its facilities, but to use them to generate revenue that goes directly to council coffers.
Mayor Jacob Mafume promised to prioritise residents’ input as that enhances service delivery.
<h2><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h2>

Harare Residents Say Consultation Meetings Shouldn't Be A formality

The Harare City Council has resolved to cancel the <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Pomona_Dump_deal">Pomona waste management deal</a> that was imposed on the local authority by the Local Government ministry.
Council had resolved to suspend the 30-year agreement for a month before the latest developments, <a href="https://thestandard.newsday.co.zw/2022/08/07/harare-cancels-pomona-waste-deal/">The Independent</a> reports.
The local government authority also disregarded Local Government minister July Moyo’s order that the council pays a US$1.5 million bill due to Geogenix BV for services rendered in May and June at the Pomona waste management energy plant.
Harare mayor <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Jacob_Mafume">Jacob Mafume</a> Saturday confirmed that the local authority had cancelled the Pomona deal, saying Moyo must go to court if he was unhappy. He told <a href="https://thestandard.newsday.co.zw/2022/08/07/harare-cancels-pomona-waste-deal/">The Independent</a>:
<blockquote>
I can confirm that we cancelled the Pomona deal. We came to this agreement in the last meeting we had,” Mafume said in an interview.
We are a council and we make our decisions. If they are unhappy they go to court. Once we make a resolution it’s binding and stands.
</blockquote>
Last week, the <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Combined_Harare_Residents_Association_(CHRA)">Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)</a> filed an urgent High Court application seeking an <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2022/07/22/pomona-deal-harare-residents-give-local-govt-minister-48-hour-ultimatum-to-withdraw-directive/">order setting aside a resolution to use the city’s devolution funds</a> to pay Georgenix, a Netherlands-based company.
The government imposed the costly waste-to-energy deal on the City of Harare without going to tender.
Under the deal, the local authority is supposed to pay US$22 000 per day or an estimated US$1 million a month to Gegenix BV fronted by <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Dilesh_Nguwaya">Dilesh Nguwaya</a> for the next 30 years.
But the council refused to pay the bill after resolving to suspend the 30-year agreement.
The central government <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2022/07/21/govt-to-pay-geogenix-bv-for-pomona-garbage/">resolved that the state would use the city’s devolution funds</a> forcing the CHRA to approach the courts.
<h2><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a></h2>

Harare City Council Cancels Pomona Waste-to-energy Deal

The <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Combined_Harare_Residents_Association_(CHRA)">Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)</a> has accused the Harare City Council of declaring war on residents through plans to deploy debt collectors, disconnect water supplies and take legal action on defaulting ratepayers. We present the association’s statement in full below.
<blockquote>The Harare City Council is threatening to unleash debt collectors, disconnect water supplies and take legal action on all ratepayers who are in arrears for rates with the local authority.
In some parts of Harare, the Local authority has dispatched letters of demand in a bid to coerce ratepayers to pay their dues. _“Before commencing legal proceedings in terms of the legislation, I am obliged to demand full payment of the amount stated above within 14 days of this notice, failing which, legal action will be effected without further warning to you, with costs charge to your account”,_ reads part of the letter from the Treasury Department.
A New Mabvuku resident who was in receipt of the letter of “final demand” from the local authority said, “It should be residents dragging the Council to court for non-provision of services, right now I live with raw sewerage which they can’t repair, no water we will also organize court action this is not fair.”
The City is also threatening to disconnect water supplies to all its debtors and claims that it is now owed ZWL$5 Billion.
The demand for full payment of debts comes at a time when the local authority is not providing the services which it is claiming payment for which some areas have gone for <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2021/03/26/waterborne-diseases-brewing-in-harare-chra/">more than 10 years without water, toilets flooded with sewer</a> and piles of uncollected garbage have become permanent features in high-density areas.
On its social media platform, the Harare City Council has warned “Will soon deploy debt collectors to collect all outstanding amounts. The best thing is to do a payment plan now.”
In 2018 the use of debt collectors was declared unlawful after Well Cash Debt Collectors were hired by the City of Harare were declared unlawful as it violated section 9(2)(b) of the Legal Practitioners Act 27:07. Residents are entitled to law and have a legal right to administrative action that is lawful, reasonable and fair in terms of Section 68 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
The <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2021/04/02/harare-residents-want-local-govt-minister-to-reconsider-approval-of-exorbitant-rates/">recent astronomic increases of rates by more than 400% premised on a faulty software</a> currently used for billing by the local authority have casted doubt over the authenticity of the Council bills.
Some residents who have been religiously paying rates received ballooned bills with payments they have made to the local authority not captured or deducted.
Ratepayers across the City have been flocking to CHRA offices seeking for assistance over their ballooned bills. _“I have paid every month my rates in full but am surprised that I now owe council ZWL30 000”,_ said a dejected Highfields woman.
CHRA reiterates its position that the amounts which the City is claiming to be owed are founded on a chaotic, shambolic and non-functional billing system hence there is a need for a real debt audit for the City debt.
CHRA also warns ratepayers not to be coerced to enter into payment plans on amounts of debts they are not agreeable to with the local authority and they should pay for services rendered.
We further call upon the City of Harare to depart from the SAGE Pastel software it is using for billing and payments and find an effective software that has the ability to show the balance after payments are made in real-time.</blockquote>
Harare City fathers have denied declaring war on residents adding the move to collect debts was good for service delivery.
More: <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Harare City Declares War On Residents - CHRA

The Combined Residents Association (CHRA) has condemned the alleged plan by the central government to set up a Ministerial Task-Force that will be in charge of failed local government authorities. CHRA said:
<blockquote>The residents of Harare condemned allegations emanating from some sections of the media that the government intends to set up an Inter-Ministerial Taskforce to be in charge of local authorities.
The move come at a time when the government has been touting devolution of governmental power and functions to lower tiers of government. Mr David Sibanda, a Kambuzuma resident said:
_The central government by taking control of local authorities is not only abusing the constitution but killing lower tiers of government._
A local government expert who spoke on conditions of anonymity blasted the idea, “we expect the government to capacitate these local authorities not taking over, this is purely bad governance.”
At a recently conducted National Devolution Indaba in Harare Residents Association representatives expected the government to give local authorities latitude to “self-govern” as provided in section 276 of the constitution while the government set standards and strengthen capacities of the local authorities through training.
The constitution of Zimbabwe now recognizes local authorities as constitutional establishments and as lower tiers of government, despite this arrangement, there have been machinations of take-over of “underperforming” urban local authorities through government appointments.
CHRA warns that the continued de-concentration or increase of the presence of the central government in our local governance system will retard development as it has the potential of throwing citizens to the periphery of local governance.</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Residents Condemn Takeover Of Local Authorities  - CHRA

Combined Harare Resident Association (CHRA) has urged the government and the City of Harare to end the capital’s water crisis as in their statement commemoration World Water Day. In the statement, CHRA said some suburbs like Tafara have gone for 2 decades without water and Harare has to find a way to end the crisis:
<blockquote>
<div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q">
<div dir="auto">CHRA STATEMENT ON WORLD WATER DAY</div>
</div>
<div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q">
<div dir="auto">CHRA joins the world today in commemorating World Water Day under the theme valuing water. The theme comes at a time when water has become a scarce resource in Harare.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">Harare City Council failed to produce adequate clean and safe water for Harare residents. In suburbs such as Tafara Ward 46, the area has more than 20 years without a single drop of water.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
</div>
<div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q">
<div dir="auto">Apparently the city council is producing 440megalitres per day against a demand of 1200mega megaliters. In Harare 60% of treated water is being lost through water bursts and the responsiveness of council to such has not been good enough to preserve water as a valuable resource.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">The shortage of this valuable resource has affected the productive time of women and young girls mostly as they are caregivers of the society.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">In most cases they spent more than three hours at communal boreholes in an effort to access water. This has exposed them to all forms of abuse and harassment by water barons.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">Water is the life blood of our economy and it is needed for life to exist. The shortage of water has crippled production of goods and services as it is essential.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
</div>
<div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q">
<div dir="auto">CHRA will continue to call upon the government and the local authority to work together to end the water crisis through investing more resources to improve the water sources.</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<div dir="auto">Source: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/100003096554241/posts/3963577030422143/?app=fbl">CHRA</a></div>

FULL TEXT: Please End Harare's Water Crisis - Harare Residents On World Water Day

<div dir="auto">The Provincial Development Coordinator (PDC) for Harare, Mr Muguti, last week instructed Harare City Council to unleash mass demolitions on illegal settlements.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">Muguti made the remarks at a full council meeting held in Harare at Town House last week. He said ere will be no regularization without prosecution. Muguti added:</div>
<blockquote>
<div dir="auto">All illegal settlements should be evicted and those who have an opportunity to be regularized, planning should commence immediately through the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.</div>
</blockquote>
<div dir="auto">The City of Harare obtained a High Court Order to demolish “illegal” settlements in the City and twenty housing cooperatives will be affected by the recent High Court Order.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">This has given goosebumps to residents who were allocated stands on wetlands by the City of Harare in areas like Mabvuku (behind Simudzai Primary School) and Tafara (near Tafara Cemetery).</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">Meanwhile, the ruling ZANU PF is adamant no demolitions will be carried out especially in Kuwadzana saying they will engage the local authorities for the regularisation of the structures.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">The Combined Harare Residents Association has called for the depoliticisation of land governance in Harare saying the issue has seen the emergence of land barons and partisan corrupt allocation of stands in the City.</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<div dir="auto">More: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chra.harare/posts/3647845518661964?__cft__[0]=AZVpXDONq2E0HZS-NXtw3wE7rTb2fxyTjsi1uPURTsakwbGOK9ONumTK5UfMZ_-dOWiwQ1L8g9WjV5GtQkedOGW9OaxiFFHHDU3feIrePXjfIw&amp;__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CHRA </a></div>

Harare City Council Instructed To Unleash Demolitions

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) was this Friday in Hatfield where they were conducting an anti-COVID-19 campaign.
The pressure group posted on its social media pages following the campaign saying:
<blockquote>CHRA ESCALATES FIGHT AGAINST COVID 19 
The Combined Harare Residents Association was in Hatcliffe today (Good Friday)as part of its campaign against the COVID-19.
At the water point in Hatcliffe Alpha Consortium, Councilor Ruzane the local councillor urged residents to maintain social distancing and sanitize or wash hands with soap to reduce the risks of contracting the coronavirus.</blockquote>
<img alt="Image may contain: 2 people, people standing, sky, cloud and outdoor" aria-busy="true" class="spotlight" decoding="async" src="https://scontent.fhre2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/p720x720/92636511_2998038823642640_7141444416018841600_o.jpg?_nc_cat=110&amp;_nc_sid=110474&amp;_nc_ohc=ZRdmC5YkPN4AX8ldFAP&amp;_nc_ht=scontent.fhre2-1.fna&amp;_nc_tp=6&amp;oh=5f713912d8efc94455f55da7b7608f42&amp;oe=5EB64B97"/><img alt="Image may contain: 2 people, people standing and outdoor" aria-busy="false" class="spotlight" decoding="async" src="https://scontent.fhre2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/p720x720/92828997_2998038996975956_1760769938038980608_o.jpg?_nc_cat=102&amp;_nc_sid=110474&amp;_nc_ohc=OXZLp1txlZkAX8RIraU&amp;_nc_ht=scontent.fhre2-1.fna&amp;_nc_tp=6&amp;oh=c3d0399df5f75ff1977749e53596ffd6&amp;oe=5EB5A8B3"/><img alt="Image may contain: 3 people, people standing, sky and outdoor" aria-busy="false" class="spotlight" decoding="async" src="https://scontent.fhre2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/p720x720/93024583_2998039130309276_1023646459330822144_o.jpg?_nc_cat=107&amp;_nc_sid=110474&amp;_nc_ohc=K2gTRTXoT_MAX8GZPKO&amp;_nc_ht=scontent.fhre2-1.fna&amp;_nc_tp=6&amp;oh=a78461ced3c68826bc7ab2eaad4ad4c1&amp;oe=5EB5537B"/>

PICTURES: Combined Harare Residents Association's Anti-COVID-19 Campaign

Harare City Council has reportedly spent $375 000 on iPads for councillors and selected managers with reports suggesting that distribution started last week.
This comes at a time when the local government authority has for years been lamenting over the inadequacy of revenue to fund its operations.
The Herald reports that it is believed that the gadgets were bought in July but delivery was delayed by the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ).
The move was described as imprudent by ratepayers who said that it discourages compliance. Combined Harare Residents’ Association director Ms Loreen Mupasiri said:
<blockquote>It’s a misdirected priority. What budget lines covered the iPads? Council never mentioned it in their previous budget. This is the challenge where there is no compliance to budgeted issues. This is one of the key factors affecting revenue collection.
No ratepayer would want to fund a luxury such as an iPad when he does not have water to drink. This is wrong and disappointing. It does not make sense for council to talk of a digital era when even the billing system is chaotic. 
</blockquote>
Provision of services is erratic in the capital with water “usually” not safe for most of the domestic purposes.
More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/harare-blows-375k-on-ipads-for-councillors/">The Herald</a>

Harare City Council Spends $375K On Councillors' iPads

The Combined Harare Residents Association has said that it will soon name and shame Harare City Council Officials who are approving illegal residential stands deals. The remarks come when the local government authority has in the past been demolishing “illegal” structures leaving residents stranded. The council has also been issuing statements alerting land seekers of fraudsters who would allocate them land at undesignated places. The involvement of city officials makes it difficult for residents <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/10/14/full-text-harare-city-council-differentiates-between-genuine-bogus-land-sellers/">to distinguish between bogus and genuine land developers.  </a>
Posting on Facebook, the association said:
<blockquote>CHRA has unearthed a massive housing stands scandal in Warren Park 1. The scandal involves senior council officials who are approving infill stands at undesignated areas and residents have been up in arms with the officials.
MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW AS WE NAME AND SHAME</blockquote>
<img alt="Image may contain: sky and outdoor" decoding="async" src="https://scontent.fhre2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/74180214_2621276104652249_3825765109871935488_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&amp;cachebreaker=sd&amp;_nc_eui2=AeFE-V3W2s_RsRsjtvZPzR14A253DGRvf-XvdvTLQUbLxCcuMTsOQ9ARN13m2hmyh_ok-bI2owR-S29ZjMEWUOuPwaY8CrS2HukGRO2VoMiYUA&amp;_nc_oc=AQmZWGzkilwCzK_O82tnd_-bFmXI6cX-HLbqNxIQbf7Jn-kjGgsBdMCyon1jxz4EdpU&amp;_nc_ht=scontent.fhre2-1.fna&amp;oh=bcd5c3d9ff5d4ba4fc91182c51fa7bb0&amp;oe=5E571358"/><img alt="Image may contain: house, sky, outdoor and nature" decoding="async" src="https://scontent.fhre2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/73210017_2621276341318892_8446495191258365952_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&amp;cachebreaker=sd&amp;_nc_eui2=AeHJnXSBQsht2lABtkSs_I79rqNEzwVH23OEG3W6pwfUILPhI7_wpO4OsafVKDKxsOsOvJrLGukAwLtceFVrwdy0Sf-YJoIpIHd_9TEgp6NGeA&amp;_nc_oc=AQmN57uffE3zAy0nXawrJAHue1URfHRU3n9gYNKO_0g6njtFJRIXYBs3xRWJsQ7BCLY&amp;_nc_ht=scontent.fhre2-1.fna&amp;oh=c14a2c4417aa03391f32fcb32d2a5776&amp;oe=5E1F3892"/><img alt="Image may contain: sky, outdoor and nature" decoding="async" src="https://scontent.fhre2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/73231246_2621276574652202_3203713344145981440_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&amp;cachebreaker=sd&amp;_nc_eui2=AeFTz5rzW8Cu9V4pbgpteX5S28Fqyyp3OtLAdzuW3peRph0lq8o_t-pPeR4ylJ06V7GebPBcu5g78cyhOOMmrl_1JTDc0cLZ5RJhwtAOFiJQwg&amp;_nc_oc=AQnebPrwG-TWUwmCgUJytX8f1QHE6MNf0m6by_GglVcj52fkojGTX6NGeMexut9WEY8&amp;_nc_ht=scontent.fhre2-1.fna&amp;oh=37871b0ca978710ad1822fb96fd3f648&amp;oe=5E4D81C6"/>
More: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chra.harare/posts/2621276604652199">CHRA</a>

FULL TEXT: CHRA To "Name And Shame" Senior Council Officials Approving Bogus Housing Deals

<blockquote>Mayor Manyenyeni unpacks rot at Harare City Council
By CHRA
OF late, council officials in Harare have largely blamed poor service delivery on non-payment by residents.
The claim by council officials is in direct contrast to CHRA’s long held assertion that council’s bloated wage bill, corruption as well as misuse of public funds have largely contributed to poor service delivery in the capital.
Furthermore, government departments, senior public officials and corporates are among the major debtors of Council yet nothing has been done to bring these city clients to book.
To add on to this is the issue of misplaced priorities which has resulted in council allocating over $5 million annually to sports at a time service delivery in Harare is at its lowest. It has to be noted that according to Harare Mayor, Bernard Manyenyeni, council’s expenditure on sports is shrouded in secrecy ad controversy.
During a Residents’ Convention held last week (September 26, 2017) Mayor Manyenyeni poured his heart out and revealed that the Harare City Council’s bloated wage bill and misuse of funds had come with negative implications on the smooth flow of affairs at Town House.
Part of the residents who attended the convention 
 ​ 
 Mayor Manyenyeni revealed that top council officials were in the habit of buying expensive vehicles and allocating each other hefty workshop allowances and all this was being done at the expense of effective service delivery.
He added that it was unacceptable for council officials to host workshops outside Harare yet the capital has a lot of facilities that can be used to host such events.
“It is surprising to see workshops being hosted outside Harare yet we have facilities to cater for that here. On top of that, you see officials being allocated hefty allowances for attending workshops outside Harare and all that is bleeding the council.
“Personally, I refused a $200 000 vehicle and I am now finishing my term on pool cars. At this moment, we cannot afford to buy expensive vehicles because it brings shame to us,” said Mayor Manyenyeni.
He also bemoaned the poor work ethic at council which he said must change.
“There is need to change the work ethic at council from the high ranking to the low ranking worker. Presently, the work ethic at council is not pleasing at all,” said Mayor Manyenyeni.
In light of the mismanagement at council, Mayor Manyenyeni said the Harare City Council had no moral right or obligation to unleash debt collectors on residents.
He was speaking in apparent reference to Wellcash Debt Collectors who were re-engaged by the Harare City Council to collect money owed by residents.
CHRA has upped its campaign against the debt collectors who are charging an extra 10 percent on top of what the residents owe to council. The debt collectors are also issuing threats of attachment of property to the residents.
Although the Harare City Council has tried to justify the operations of the debt collectors, Mayor Manyenyeni admitted that their operations were brutal and arrogant.
He said that it was totally unfair for the debt collectors to target low income households yet there are companies that owe the council huge amounts of money.
“We are saying Wellcash must target companies that owe council huge amounts of money first. We cannot seize property from poor residents and sell the property for a song so that we pay each other overpaid salaries,” said Mayor Manyenyeni.
Of the $12 Million collected monthly by the Harare City Council, $10 Million is going towards salaries and Mayor Manyenyeni bemoaned that council was in the business of paying salaries.
He said that given this unfortunate development, council had “no moral right or obligation to demand money ruthlessly from residents”.
Mayor Manyenyeni reiterated CHRA’s call for a debt audit saying that most of the amounts residents are reported to owe council are largely disputable hence council has no basis to demand money ruthlessly from residents.</blockquote>

Mayor accuses council executives of buying expensive cars, abusing workshop allowances at the expense of service delivery

Combined Harare Residents’ Association (CHRA) has spoken out against the the government’s plan to introduce urban tollgates in Harare. CHRA chairperson, Simbarashe Moyo said that the government needed to account for all the money that was collected by Zinara, before further exploiting Harare Residents. Said Moyo
<blockquote>We are totally against this idea of tollgates in town. It’s heartless to force residents to pay more when already we are burdened like this. We have realised that the government has a tendency of demanding money from broke residents whenever it seeks to funds its nefarious activities.
…We are worried with Kasukuwere’s continued utterances and his push for tollgates. We want Zinara first to account for the large sums of money that they have collected over the years before they [authorities] can even begin to think of devising more ways to fleece Zimbabweans of their hard-earned cash.</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2017/06/21/residents-push-urban-tollgates/">NewsDay</a>

Harare residents against further govt exploitation through urban tollgates

The <a href="http://www.pindula.co.zw/Combined_Harare_Residents_Association_(CHRA)">Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)</a> has taken it upon itself to educate Harare residents on the illegality of debt collectors.  This follows the move by <a href="http://www.pindula.co.zw/Harare_City_Council" target="_blank">Harare City Council</a> to engage <a href="http://www.pindula.co.zw/news/2017/01/12/harare-city-council-unleashes-wellcash-debt-collectors-residents/" target="_blank">Wellcash Debt collectors to recover all money outstanding for bills.</a>  The CHRA had a meeting to educate residents in Glen Norah on January 27, 2017.
Legal practitioner, Tinashe Chinopfukutwa of Kadzere, Hungwe and Mandevere legal practitioners advised the residents that the debt collectors have no power to attach property on behalf of a creditor without a court order.   He also advised that it was illegal for  Harare City Council to unleash debt collectors on residents.
Said Chinopfukutwa:
<blockquote>In Zimbabwe, there is no Act of Parliament that allows debt collectors to attach property or issue threats on behalf of creditors. In other words, what the debt collectors are doing is very much unlawful and should be challenged.</blockquote>
CHRA Community Officer, Reuben Akili also said that the CHRA was committed to protecting the residents from the illegal actions of the debt collectors and urged all affected residents to approach the CHRA for assistance.
Aliki said:
<blockquote>As CHRA, we stand ready to protect residents against unlawful practices and in this case, we are saying that residents must not pay money to debt collectors but to council. What Wellcash debt collectors are doing is unlawful and we call upon affected residents to approach us for assistance,</blockquote>
More: <a href="http://thezimbabwean.co/2017/01/chra-educates-residents-illegality-debt-collectors/">The Zimbabwean</a>

Wellcash debt collectors have no right to attach property over council debt: Combined Harare Residents Association

The government recently declared the <a href="http://www.pindula.co.zw/Harare_City_Council" target="_blank">city of Harare’s</a> roads to be in a state of disaster.   Community group the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) have released a statement in response.  Here is the full statement:
 
<blockquote>The Combined Harare Residents Association notes the declaration of a state of disaster with regards the state of roads in Harare by the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, <a href="http://www.pindula.co.zw/Saviour_Kasukuwere">Honorable</a> Savior Kasukuwere.
It is a fact that most roads in Harare have become virtually impassable and have become a huge risk to motorists.
However, as CHRA we would like to reiterate our call for the management of vehicle license fees to be returned to the Harare City Council from the <a href="http://www.pindula.co.zw/Zimbabwe_National_Road_Administration" target="_blank">Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA)</a>.
Since ZINARA took over management of the vehicle license fees, there has been a marked decline in the quality of roads in Harare.
To make matters worse, the local authority has been receiving paltry allocations for road repairs and in 2016, ZINARA disbursed $1, 3 million against an annual demand of between $40-$70 million.
ZINARA’s role has simply been to cripple the Harare City Council as far as maintenance of the capital city’s road network is concerned.
In 2009, it was reported that the City of Harare collected $10 million a year from road vehicle license fees and that money would go towards road maintenance. 
Given the increasing vehicle population in the capital, it is possible that council by now could be collecting the required annual amount of between $40-$70 million for road maintenance.
The fact of the matter here is that we cannot expect much from the Harare City Council on road maintenance when they have very little resources being allocated to them.
The Combined Harare Residents Association reiterates its position that ZINARA has no business managing vehicle license fees and this must be the sole responsibility of the Harare City Council.</blockquote>

CHRA's Full Response to Declaration of State of Disaster Regarding Harare Roads

National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe (Navuz) chairperson Sten Zvorwadza vowed that his fellows will not leave the streets despite Harare City Council (HCC)’s ban on vending.
Said Zvorwadza:
<blockquote>We are not going to move out of the streets. We have nothing to do. Attempt to remove us from the streets will trigger civil unrest and we are prepared to defend ourselves. As vendors, we demand an end to this madness, failure to do so we are going to use all means possible as long as they are within the confines of the law.</blockquote>
Combined Harare Residents Association (Chra) said HCC must look into addressing the real causes of typhoid which include poor refuse collection, instead of concentrating on vendors. Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation director Samuel Wadzai added that they will go into the streets in protest. He also revealed that they are petitioning Parliament over the matter.
More: <a href="https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2017/01/17/vendors-threaten-havoc-over-ban">Daily News</a>

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