By Rex Mphisa
BEITBRIDGE Mayor Councillor Peter Mafuta Pirato has called on residents of Beitbridge to pay their bills to enable their Municipality deliver its mandate of service delivery.
He said timeous paying of rates rates and bills is crucial for maintaining good financial health, and ensuring essential services continue uninterrupted.
“We now have adequate water and for other services to be smooth I urge residents to pay their bills. Residents associations should play their role and encourage residents to pay bills,” he said
He was speaking during the commissioning of a refuse compactor and a tipper hired from the government to improve service delivery.
The Zimbabwean government is commissioning refuse collection and other equipment to be hired out to local councils at nominal fees to improve service delivery.
According to Local Government Rural Development Minister Daniel Garwe this initiative, approved by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, aims to tackle waste management challenges and enhance the capacity of municipalities to provide services like refuse collection.
The government is also procuring road construction equipment, with a focus on hiring out to councils after training local operators, though there are concerns about vandalism if not managed properly.
Among the equipment is a tipper which will be used for engineering services by the Municipality.
Two Clerk Loud Ramakgapola said Beitbridge, being a border town was along with Marondera, Chirundu, Chipinge and Chitungwiza the first five town to benefit.
He said his town being a transit town generated so much litter and this equipment would assist in keeping the town of 60 000 people clean.
“We are part of the councils invited to benefit first obviously because we are located in the strategic places of the country.
We hope the residents associations will work with the council to see that we are able to pay for these hired equipment, ” he said.
To ensure there was efficient cleaning the municipality had adjusted the working hours of the section responsible for cleaning the town to operate during the day when most litter is generated.
Ramakgapola urged residents to jealously guard the vehicles against abuse by employees whom they should report if seen off routes and carrying things they are not required to.