Zimbabwe ratepayers tell government to fix its own buildings first
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The Zimbabwe Union of Residents and Ratepayers Association says a directive ordering property owners to renovate dilapidated buildings or face penalties should not stand while public buildings remain in disrepair.
The Zimbabwe Union of Residents and Ratepayers Association (ZURRA) has criticised the government's directive ordering homeowners and property owners to renovate dilapidated buildings or face penalties, saying authorities should lead by example by repairing deteriorating public infrastructure.
ZURRA said it supported efforts to promote clean, safe and dignified living environments, but that imposing punitive measures on homeowners struggling with the rising cost of living was insensitive. In a statement, spokesperson Marvelous Kumalo said public buildings, government offices, schools, clinics, stadia, hostels and council-owned properties across the country were in a state of disrepair.
"We appreciate efforts to create safe, clean and dignified living environments. However, we are concerned about the approach and reiterate that the government must lead by example and desist from demanding what it does not practise," Kumalo said.
The association called for a nationwide renovation programme and a published, time-bound plan for public buildings, arguing that authorities should demonstrate a commitment to maintenance before enforcing similar requirements on private property owners. It said renovating required access to affordable building materials, reliable water and electricity supplies and financing facilities that remain beyond the reach of many households.
Instead of penalties, ZURRA proposed incentives including tax breaks on building materials, discounts on council rates for compliant properties and low-interest loans for home improvements, and urged the government to suspend punitive measures against private owners until economic conditions improve and to consult residents' associations before implementing the directive.
"A clean Zimbabwe must be built together, with Government leading, not threatening, from the front," Kumalo said. ZURRA said improving the built environment required cooperation between government, local authorities and residents rather than threats of penalties against homeowners.