Cathy Buckle's Weekly Letter from Zimbabwe !

Pay in bits and pieces !
Saturday 19th May 2007

Dear Family and Friends,

The last time I had occasion to call the fire brigade was in March 2002. It was just a couple of weeks before the Presidential elections and a house a few doors away was petrol bombed. Windows exploded, the roof collapsed and a raging inferno turned night into day. The fire brigade didn't answer their phone so I dialled the police. They said they couldn't help as they didn't have a vehicle and were unable to alert the fire brigade as the police telephone was not able to make outgoing calls. The fire raged out of control and finally I got through to the fire brigade. They said they couldn't send a fire engine as it was busy picking up a sick person in a high density suburb. Despite my best efforts to explain that I wasn't asking for an ambulance but a fire truck with hoses and water, the fire brigade never came.

About eighteen months later, without any explanation, a new charge suddenly appeared on rate-payers municipal accounts. It was called a 'fire levy' and it had been added to our monthly accounts along with a massive increase in all municipal services ranging from 475% for something called a development levy, to 1600% for water. On my account for that month I wrote in big letters: "NOT PAID: Public Protest; To be Reduced. " A hastily convened and heated public meeting, a protest by residents to the Municipal offices and it was all over. Victory came swiftly! The accounts were withdrawn and the increases were slashed by over 50%.

The 'fire levy,' however, became a permanent fixture on the bill.

This week Marondera residents received their monthly Municipal accounts and were staggered to find that charges have increased by one thousand two hundred percent. Phoning for an explanation residents are being told they can "pay in instalments." How do you pay a monthly bill in instalments if the account is higher than your entire monthly wage, one resident asked? 'Just pay what you have" came the reply; "pay in bits and pieces" the man said.

Another asked if the increase had been advertised in the press as required under the Urban Councils act. The municipal employee said that they didn't have to advertise in the press because they had consulted their 'stakeholders'. Asked who these stakeholders were, the employee declined to answer and said the Town Accountant would know but he wasn't available. When the resident asked if he was a 'stakeholder' as he lived in the town, owned property and paid rates, the municipal employee said "aaaaah" and laughed but did not answer.

Another resident who tried to complain declined to reveal his exact address because he is well aware of the recriminations which accompany all forms of protest in Zimbabwe these days. He met with a very hostile response. The Municipal employee, whose salary is paid with our rates, said: "If you don't want to tell me where you stay, I no longer want to talk to you" and slammed the phone down. Hardly professional behaviour for a senior municipal employee who has clearly forgotten just exactly where the money comes from to pay his salary.

Dialogue and plain common sense have left the caretakers of this bankrupt town. People are complaining, more will speak out. A small picture of the bigger picture.

Until next week, thanks for reading, love cathy