By Correspondent
Harare Council is engaging debt collectors in a bid to recover US$70 million owed by residents and other stakeholders.
Council Finance Committee Chairperson Costa Mande said this on Tuesday during a press conference.
“On the huge debtor’s bill we have engaged more staff to deal with debtors as well as other means like engaging debt collectors.
“(This is) so that we can reduce the huge debtor’s bill.
“We also encourage residents to own up and pay their bills on time and clear their bills before Council comes down on them,” he said.
The sentiments complement Chamber Secretary Warren Chiwawa’s earlier assertions on the same issue.
“Certainly, the amount has to be recovered.
“We have always used litigation as a tool where we rely on our internal capacity as well as external lawyers.
However, the engagement of debt collectors has remained a controversial subject with residents.
Harare Residents Trust director Precious Shumba has previously said the local authority does not need to engage debt collectors.
“They already have a credit control management division which is being paid for increasing the revenues of the City of Harare.
Previous scenarios with debt collectors have ended in acrimony with little progress made.
However Government has demanded that Council institute measures to recover the money.
