Harare city council has announced that there will be no tariff increases on services delivery because of the stressed economy which residents are going through.
“There is no tariff increase proposal for main line services (water, property tax, health services and refuse fees) in 2016,” said the city  council  this week.
The city fathers say they have  noted that the prevailing economic environment where thousands are in the informal sector will make life more difficult for them “should we increase” tariffs on service delivery.
“Your council is once more proposing a largely standstill budget on the back of the economic environment  which essentially is characterised by deflationary pressures , receding disposable income , liquidity constraints , company closures, burgeoning debts  and general mutation of the economic landscape( in formalisation )”.
“The interplay of the above dynamics dictates to us that tariff increases lack merit   and justification and will easily constitute a heavy financial strain on the populace,” Harare city council noted.
Harare city council is owed $380 million by government departments, private entities and residents.
The city fathers who are also failing to remit $180 million it owes ZIMRA and NSSA in tax retention and workers pensions contributions during the Christmas holidays announced that it was offering a 30% discount on ratepayers for 2016 who would have settled their bills by 31 December 2015 as a way of persuading residents to clear their arrears on unpaid rate bills.
 
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