Vic Falls council under pressure

Delyse Ndlovu, Ratidzai Matumbura,Tracy Moyo.

 VICTORIA FALLS- Victoria Falls residents are piling pressure on the City Council by urging Councillors to, among other requests, develop properties and recreational areas for income generation and to cushion residents from adverse economic effects by reducing the high rates and tarrifs. The residents made their grievances known in meetings held in Ward 8, 9, 10 and 11.

It is alleged by residents that the Council has sold out all council beer gardens, rest camps and truck stops to private players. These facilities used to be the then town’s cash cows. Now that the city can nolonger generate any revenue from the sold facilities, it is now allegedly transferring its financial burden to the residents by way of hiking tarrifs and rates. In a  Ward 9 meeting  held at Mosi Oa Tunya High School, locals suggested a reduction in shop licence fees and called upon the local authority to desist from imposing interest on rates.

The council was also implored to do away with estimates on service fees and conduct physical reading on meters. A call was also made for council to fix faulty meters across the city while also considering the plight of the aged and unemployed when delivering services. It was minuted in another meeting held at Chamabondo Primary School that rates are very high in Victoria Falls when juxtaposed with rates in other towns and cities. The residents want the rates reduced by at least 50%. 

Furthermore, residents suggested that other “unnecessary” rates like education fee and interest rates be suspended with immediate effect. This they said, would improve payment rates by residents rather than having a few individuals affording to pay for the services.

 In response to the submissions made by residents, the ward 8 councillor, Mrs Mwale pledged to fully commit to addressing the plight of residents. “It is high time that we as Councillors come out of our comfort zones and stand for residents who have voted for us and to hear their pleas. We will work together as a community to develop the resort city of Victoria Falls,” she said.

Mr Thuso Moyo, the Finance Chairperson of the City Council told the public that the ministry has promised to avail funds for the supplimentary budget.

The mayor of Victoria Falls, Somvelo Dlamini promised to take residents’ submissions into consideration, albeit with service delivery in mind.

“Thank you for your contributions. We will work with other councillors to make sure that all you said is accepted and does not compromise service delivery. We are going to take your submissions into account ” said Dlamini