Chiredzi RDC ‘rejects’ RTGS payments
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GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA
CHIREDZI – Residents have accused Chiredzi Rural District Council of rejecting payment for services in local RTGS$ and appealed to Government to investigate.
The Mirror has it from impeccable sources that the local authority now only accepts foreign currency as a form of payment and particularly from corporates.
This comes at a time when President Mnangagwa has made a stern warning against big businesses for demanding payments in foreign currency. President Mnangagwa made several statements on the issue during independence celebrations and accused corporates of causing the fall of the bond through such behaviour.
“Then bond racho muchazoritsvaka nemeso matsvuku. You will look for the bond all over and not find it,” said President Mnangagwa.
The residents and corporates who are being forced to pay foreign currency refused to be named for fear of being victimised. Others are leasing council properties and asked not to be linked to the story otherwise they would be evicted.
Chiredzi RDC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ailess Baloyi refuted the allegations and insisted that the local authority is accepting any form of payment.
He said the Rand is common in Chiredzi because of the district’s close proximity to South Africa hence many residents choose to pay in Rands.
He said that there are people who are out to tarnish the council’s name through the allegations.
“We accept all kinds of payments. I am not aware of anyone turned away over foreign currency payments. Anyone in that situation is free to approach my office.
“We are a rural council and very few people make payment because our residents don’t pay water charges or rates. We are different from councils like Chiredzi Town Council,” said Baloyi
However, residents who spoke to The Mirror said they were turned away when they tried to pay their leases.
“If council is denying that they are turning us away then we can openly say they are lying. If the government sends an investigating team they will see that payment made since the beginning of the year were in foreign currency. Would we say that was a coincidence? Obvious there is no such coincidence,” he said.
Chiredzi RDC chairperson Edward Matsilele could not be reached for comment as his mobile was not reachable. https://masvingomirror.com
Its very true that they are refusing rtgs payments, I have proof to that.