By Correspondent
Harare has officially adopted a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, with Mayor Jacob Mafume promising to go after the missing US$200 million.
The ERP is being provided by BIQ.
Addressing a Council meeting, Mafume said the system will be ideal to hunt for culprits in the losses Harare suffered.
“What that will do is help us chase money that we are missing, especially the missing US$200 million, which is unaccounted for.
“It will help us produce a bill that residents can understand.
“It will also help us to account and to track progress in terms of the revenue, and how we are using that revenue,” he said.
Mafume Praises New System
Mafume praised the new system as a breakthrough in bringing order to the authority.
“This is a breakthrough in modernising council systems.
“We are no longer operating in the dark. Residents will be able to see, in black and white, what they owe and how their money is being utilised.
“That is the essence of transparency,” he said.
The ERP system is designed to integrate various operational functions within the council.
These include financial management, human resources, and supply chain management.
This move is expected to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce revenue leakages.
Acting ICT Manager Mugobogobo assured Councillors that the organisation is set to run the system smoothly.
New Era In Council Finances
The adoption of the ERP system is a significant step forward for Harare, which has faced criticism for its manual accounting system.
The absence of a functional ERP system has been a blight on the Council, leading to severe losses.
Mayor Mafume at one time revealed that losses were enormous.
“I am unable to provide exact figures because management has ensured that no audits have been conducted at the Council from 2019 to date.
“However, we have anecdotal evidence.
“Millions are paid out, duplicate payments are made, and some ratepayers’ fees are waived.
“We could be looking at losses of around US$10 million per year.
“The City Council has been haemorrhaging funds,” said Mafume.
Mafume outlined that immediate tasks for the council include tracking down missing funds and producing accurate bills.
Council also promised to implement a range of IT packages to enhance service delivery.
