Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The Bulawayo City Council has announced that all pensioned property owners can apply for a 50% rebate on their property bills, regardless of their previous employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This clarification follows concerns raised after the local council disconnected the water supply for Mr. Neban Nyalenda, a 98-year-old pensioner who worked for the council for nearly half a century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Nyalenda, who resides in Thokozani Flats in the Mzilikazi suburb, is bedridden and lives with his medically unwell son.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addressing the situation, Mrs. Nesisa Mpofu, the council spokesperson, stated,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have a rates rebate for all pensioned property owners, regardless of where they were employed. This rebate is 50 percent of the property tax or rates granted upon application from the consumer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Support for Struggling Residents<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mrs. Mpofu also highlighted the council’s commitment to assisting residents facing financial difficulties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cConsumers are free to approach any council revenue office to negotiate payment arrangement plans in order to avoid debt collection actions,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The council conducts assessments on community members struggling to make payments, with social welfare offices visiting to produce reports that inform decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis arrangement is to ensure their situation is not worsened, and at best social support measures are instituted with partners to alleviate the situation,\u201d she added, emphasizing that disconnection teams do not disconnect services where a bedridden person resides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, the council provides 3,000 liters of free water as a safety net for families in need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Community Outcry<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite these policies, the disconnection of water services at Mr. Nyalenda\u2019s home has garnered significant backlash from the community. Mr. Winos Dube, chairperson of the Bulawayo United Residents Association (Bura), criticized the council’s actions as “heartless and mean.” He remarked,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor a man who worked nearly half his life for the council to be treated in such an inhuman manner by his former employers is heartbreaking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dube questioned,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat will the council lose if this man was exempted from paying anything at all? They can\u2019t show a human face to this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He stressed the need for compassion, particularly for elderly residents who have contributed to the city’s welfare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Nyalenda’s Ordeal<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reflecting on his situation, Mr. Nyalenda shared his distress:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey came here early this year and knocked on the door, but because I am bedridden, I could not open the door. The next thing I realized was that there was no water coming out of my tap. The situation has been unbearable for me since then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He explained that he has seven children, but most do not live with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe one I am living with is not well too, just like me,\u201d he said, revealing the difficulties his family faces in these times of economic turmoil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Local resident Ms. Samu Khumalo, who has been assisting Mr. Nyalenda, expressed her concerns about his living conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWithout water, the situation is unbearable. Sometimes he soils himself, which means blankets have to be washed,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Council’s Response<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scandal riddled Ward 8 Councillor Edwin Ndlovu, representing the residents of Mzilikazi and serving as the City’s\u2019s Deputy’s Mayor, acknowledged that he had not been aware of Mr. Nyalenda\u2019s predicament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He advised the family to visit the social welfare offices at the Mzilikazi housing office for additional support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bulawayo City Council’s rebate program for pensioned property owners is a commendable initiative designed to ease financial burdens. However, the case of Mr. Nyalenda highlights the urgent need for the council to communicate effectively and ensure that vulnerable residents receive the support they need. The community’s strong response emphasizes the importance of empathy and integrity within local governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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