The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has expressed dismay over the continued engagement of Wellcash Debt Collectors by the City of Harare despite a directive by the Mayor, Bernard Manyenyeni to suspend their contract.
In a statement released on Wednesday CHRA said despite a directive from the Mayor, they had received complaints from residents who had been threatened with attachment of property over non payment of dues to City of Harare.
“This week, CHRA has received complaints from residents of Tafara, Highfield and Mabvuku who have been threatened with attachment of their property by Wellcash Debt Collectors.
“In as much as we appreciate that residents cannot run away from their obligation to pay for services rendered to council, CHRA is concerned that debt collectors are charging residents an extra 10 percent of what they owe to council,” said CHRA.
They added that some residents lost property to the debt collectors despite the fact that in Zimbabwe, there is no Act of Parliament that empowers debt collectors to issue threats or attach property on behalf of creditors.
“Some of the residents who have been served with letters of final demand by the debt collectors have not been receiving water for years and it boggles the mind why the City of Harare would like to claim payment for services not rendered,” added the Harare residents body.
According to Manyenyeni, the move to unleash debt collectors on residents is not justified due to the fact that there appears to be a perceived bias towards the lower income suburbs of the city whose targets are largely victims of the current economic environment.
“The debt recovery methods employed so far have been reportedly brutal or at best arrogant and that and that the yields from the exercise are reportedly way below the true values of the assets sold and also below the amounts owed among other issues,” reads part of Manyenyeni’s directive.
However, CHRA reiterates its call for residents to resist Wellcash Debt Collectors and make payment plans with the Harare City Council.
