GCC Debt Crisis

City of Gweru has not been spared by the economic struggles that have ravaged the country as a whole and the reluctance by residents to honour their bills has not eased the burden on the local authority.
Increase on the level of debtors has affected the local authority and monthly collections continue to lag behind. City of Gweru debtors as at 31 August 2020 before August 2020 billing stood at $ 214 382 945. 67.
In a statement at the State of the city media address His worship the Mayor Cllr J Makombe stated that, “the power utility has increased tariffs by 50% beginning 23 September 2020. Our supplier for water treatment chemicals is now also indexing prices to the foreign currency auction exchange rate, this has seen prices of water treatment chemicals going up by 506% since January 2020”.
The local authority is also affected by the low revenue collection level that has affected creditors and now City of Gweru owes ZETDC $61million for power supplies to our water treatment works at Gwenhoro.
City of Gweru has adopted statutory 185 of 2020 on dual pricing and has resolved to give the stakeholders the option to pay their bills in either USD or ZWL.
Intercity travel is now allowed due to the loosening of the lockdown restrictions. City of Gweru identified a new temporary bus terminus to be used whilst Kudzanai bus terminus is being upgraded. The new temporary bus terminus has been cited at Birchenough road between Lobengula Avenue and Robert Mugabe way.