The Minister of Local Government and Public Works, July Moyo has recommended that the Gwanda Rural District Council increase its household land development levy to US$10 to enable comprehensive service delivery in the district.
Villagers were initially paying US$2.
Development levy may be described as the fee charged by the local government through its planning authority for all new developments in its area of jurisdiction.
This was revealed during a full council meeting held in Gwanda, last month.
According to the finance committee report, Minister July Moyo revealed that US$2 was too little to do meaningful development.
“During the process of the budget approval the Permanent Secretary as concurred by the Honourable Minister of Local Government and Public Works, J.G Moyo revealed that the amount of US$2 was too little to do any meaningful development in the district hence the amount be reviewed upwards (sic),” read the council minutes.
“The Rural District Councils Act (Chap 29.13) allows Council to review their income and expenditure for the financial year to adequately harness or mobilize resources good enough to enable comprehensive service delivery mandates.”
However, debating the matter, some councillors felt that US$10 is too much.
“The challenge that we have is that we recently told residents that the levy was not increased, so going back again is a challenge, it is better to say it’s a directive from the ministry and not the RDC.
“If it is a directive, may we see the letter, or its advice, these are two different things, I want to understand how we got to US$10, we are also humans and you should convince us how you got to US$10 not to make us adopt,” said the councillor.
Meanwhile, Ward 5 councillor, Adam Maedza said the development is meant for the district.
“This US$10 is ok, I am not saying it’s too little or too much, let us speak to the villagers during the budget consultation meeting because this development we are talking about is for us, and it’s from that US$10, it’s not like we are throwing the money away, we will see the development in our areas,’ said Clr Maedza.
He added: “We will see clinics being brought closer to us and many other facilities with just a US$10, as it is we are complaining that the facilities are far away and we wait for donors.”
Gwanda Rural District Council Chairperson, Joram Ndlovu said many projects in the district are stalling because of financial challenges.
“There are many projects needed in the wards but we are not accumulating any money, US$2 is very little, go back and tell the villagers that this money is very little and cannot purchase anything,” said Cllr Ndlovu.
He blamed Gwanda RDC councillors and managers for being anti-development.
“Otherwise, this is one of the districts with money but there is nothing that you are doing, you want to destroy Gwanda. You will find that these people you are defending, some of them have children in South Africa, and some of them are war veterans.”
In addition, Gwanda Rural District Council Chief Executive Officer, Ranganai Sibanda proposed a payment plan to allow villagers to pay the money over a period of time.
“I am sure this proposal, we all agree that it is going to bring us development, I was hoping that you raise issues such as having it paid maybe twice a year so that it will lessen the burden because when looking at development, we then should pay money that is going to bring development,” said Sibanda.
