By Admire Chitsungo
The City of Kadoma has intensified efforts to recover outstanding debts, urging residents, businesses and property owners with unpaid bills to settle their arrears to support service delivery.
In a public notice, town clerk Malvern Dondo said account holders with outstanding balances should regularise their accounts, warning that failure to do so could result in enforcement measures.
The measures may include legal action, publication of names of defaulters and restrictions on accounts in line with council procedures.
Council advised residents and businesses with outstanding bills to visit council offices or use approved payment platforms to clear their arrears.
Kadoma City Council Finance director Faustina Zhou said revenue collection was critical in sustaining municipal operations and improving service delivery.
“Council depends on revenue collected from ratepayers and residents to sustain service delivery, maintain infrastructure and improve the living standards of the people of Kadoma. When bills remain unpaid for long periods, it affects our ability to effectively deliver essential services such as water supply, refuse collection, road maintenance and sewer management,” said Zhou.
She said the debt recovery exercise was aimed at encouraging residents and businesses to fulfil their obligations rather than targeting specific groups.
“We are appealing to all stakeholders to work together with Council by honouring their obligations. Settling outstanding bills helps council fulfil its mandate and ensures that developmental projects and service delivery programmes continue uninterrupted,” she said.
Kadoma mayor Cllr Nigel Ruzario also called on residents and the business community to support council operations by paying rates and service charges on time.
“Revenue collection is the backbone of service delivery and development in the city. This can only be achieved when ratepayers play their part by paying their bills on time,” said Ruzario.
He said council remained committed to improving transparency and accountability in the use of public funds.
“We are working to improve roads, water systems, refuse collection and other critical services. We urge residents to cooperate with council so that together we build a better Kadoma,” he said.
Zhou said council remained open to engaging residents and businesses to explore possible payment arrangements where necessary.
The local authority reiterated that timely payment of bills was essential for the continued maintenance and improvement of municipal services as it works towards its vision of becoming a “smart service sanctuary by 2030.”
