BUSINESS operators have accused the Gokwe South Rural District Council (RDC) officials of snubbing a consultative meeting last Wednesday where they intended grilling them over what they allege are exorbitant levies.
SILAS NKALA STAFF REPORTER
Operators also accused the council of charging levies without approval from the Local Government ministry as they claim never to have seen a statutory instrument which authenticates the levies.
Some business operators said the local authority is charging them $50 a shop per month in levies at the rural business centre which is higher than businesses operating at Gokwe Town Centre pay $120 a year.
“What is happening here is a deliberate fraud by the local authority,” one businessman said.
“The local authority is charging shops and grinding mill operators $50 per month while levies for one hectare plots are $20 per month,” the businessman said.
A grinding mill operator, Camias Sibanda, said if they fail to pay the rates, council officials lock up the business premises.
“I am operating a grinding mill here at Njelele near Bomba area,” Sibanda said.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“At any time the RDC officials come and lock our businesses over the $50 levy which they just imposed without even consulting us.”
A general dealer shop operator Mkhululi Sithole said though the RDC was collecting developmental levy, there was no development in the area. He accused the local authority of cheating them.
“It seems land is now more expensive for rural businesses than our urban counterparts because we pay $600 per year while at Gokwe centre they pay $120; it’s ridiculous,” Sithole said.
Gokwe South RDC chief executive officer Silas Velani denied council was effecting levies without consulting ratepayers saying current rates were effected five years ago and it was unreasonable for someone to start claiming that they were exorbitant.
“We have been making these consultations and it is not true that we unilaterally charge ratepayers without consultations,” Velani said.
“The shops are charged $368 and those figures they are talking about are not true.
“The problem is that some of these people have failed to operate their businesses and they now want to accuse council.
“Those allocated agro-dealers plots turned those plots where they were expected to conduct businesses into homesteads and they are not generating any income.
“When council goes to collect levies in accordance with the official status of the plot, they start complaining because they are not generating any money,” Velani added.
Twitter feedback @silasnkala
