The Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) has petitioned the city council to postpone a planned revenue collection blitz scheduled for this week, from Monday to Friday.
The operation includes water disconnections and the attachment of properties belonging to residents with outstanding bills.
GRRA director Cornilia Selipiwe urged the local authority to delay the blitz until June 16 to allow time for dialogue and the development of payment plans for affected residents. In a letter dated May 16 and addressed to the town clerk, Selipiwe wrote:
I write on behalf of concerned residents of Gweru regarding the public notice dated May 7, 2025, announcing a revenue blitz from 19 to 23 May aimed at recovering outstanding debts.
While we fully appreciate the council’s need to secure revenue for vital services, we respectfully request that you consider postponing the blitz period for residential accounts.
Selipiwe cited short notice, financial hardship, and the need for dialogue and payment plans as reasons for the postponement.
He warned that immediate disconnections could disrupt essential services and disproportionately affect vulnerable residents. He said:
We kindly propose delaying the residential debt blitz by four weeks so that enforcement begins on Monday, June 16, 2025.
Selipiwe proposed that on June 16, the council should hold ward outreach clinics to help residents with account queries, licensing issues, and setting up payment plans.
He also suggested introducing a debt-tier system to distinguish between residents who pay regularly and those with long-standing arrears.
In a notice dated May 7, the council informed residents of a revenue blitz scheduled for May 19 to 23, aimed at recovering outstanding debts.
The council said that during this period, enforcement teams will target residential water and rate bill collections, commercial debt recovery, and business licensing compliance.
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