Harare City Council (HCC) has started implementing its ZW$41.8 billion 2022 budget, with rates having been hiked by up to 400 percent with effect from the 1st of February 2022 when the budget was approved.
Harare City Council spokesperson, Michael Chideme, confirmed that the budget is being implemented in phases. He said:
We have made our budget basing on the interbank rate. Adjustments have been made, for example 87 percent on some rates.
The first to be affected were motorists, who will now pay a minimum of US$100 fine for clamped vehicles and US$50 for storage.
With the budget being implemented in phases, motorists will soon be required to pay around ZW$600, up from ZW$120 for parking in the central business district. Some motorists who spoke to ZBC News expressed concern over the development.
Rates for water, refuse collection and other services have also been hiked and residents will have to fork out more, at the end of the month.
This comes when residents have been finding it difficult to pay their bills citing economic hardships attributed to on and off coronavirus-induced lockdowns.
Local authorities have often blamed poor service delivery on a lack of adequate resources.
More: ZBC News