Harare to name, shame corporate debtors

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

HARARE City Council has threatened to name and shame over 100 private companies owing $336 million in unpaid rates.

Speaking during a performance review meeting yesterday, council finance director Stanley Ndemera said the debtors’ honeymoon was now over, adding that besides naming and shaming, the local authority was ready to take legal action on all debtors.

“We are owed more than $900 million in total revenue fees and topping the list of debtors are private companies, with $336 million. Now we are taking a new direction and if they do not pay up, we will first name and shame them, then take the legal route,” he said.

Ndemera said government had cleared its debt with the council.

“We have categorised the high-value debtors and we put them in the following categories: government debt $22 222 445, which they have already cleared. Debt submitted to legal is
$58 691 896 and we have targeted 31 companies; dormitory towns $17 226 015 and other companies $255 913 325 to make it $336 827 666 debts owed to the council,” he said.

Council also disclosed that it had lost more than $10 million premises lease fees for the last five months due to a systems breakdown.