By Robert Tapfumaneyi
The petition, initiated by the Harare Residents’ Trust (HRT), was signed by 5 500 ratepayers.
Under the new rates regime, residents are now supposed to pay an equivalent of US$40 monthly average based on official forex rates.
This amount goes up to around US$70 – US$100 for the ratepayers living in the low-density areas.
HRT director Precious Shumba said from a human rights perspective, the rates being charged by the City of Harare were “unsustainable, unjustified” and further weakened the capacity of the ratepayers to escape socio-economic challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and high unemployment levels.
“The HRT intends to escalate the issue to the Minister of Local Government and Public Works who approved the City of Harare rates for his re-consideration of the 2021 budget,” he said.
Authorities have been accused of abandoning Harare families
whose houses were demolished in Budiriro last week.
At least 200 houses were demolished in the high-density
suburb, leaving scores of families stranded without food and shelter.
The government and the council promised to provide
temporary shelter for the affected residents, who include women and children,
the elderly and the sick, but as of last night, no such relief had been
provided.
The Harare Residents’ Trust (HRT) described the demolitions
as a clear case of human rights violations and warned of a looming humanitarian
crisis in Budiriro. HRT said the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission should act
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