Staff Reporter

Harare’s Highfield residents are complaining that the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Harare City Council was failing to properly deliver services to them leaving people swimming in sewages and surrounded by uncollected garbage and burst water pipes.

One of the disgruntled residents who spoke to this publication, Chenai Moyo, said that the situation in Highfield had just gotten worse as there was literally little to no service delivery from the CCC councillors in all aspects.

“What have we done wrong to deserve this?” Moyo posed the question while pointing to a pile of uncollected garbage.

“We have lost hope in the Harare City Council. They should just take responsibility for their action and stop this blame game. We now risk contradicting disease because we are living in squalid conditions as the council as failing to deliver adequate services.

Moyo also reported that they had approached the councillors in charge of that area but they apportioned the blame on the Government.

“Every time we approach them, they shift the blame to the Government. Honestly, we cannot continue to deal with people who are not ready to offer solutions. I had gone for a holiday, but I was surprised on return, to see a mound of refuse piling at my gate.” Moyo said.

This publication was further told that the HCC council workers were demanding bribes from residents for them to collect garbage. A resident who requested anonymity said the workers ask for “something” between US$2 and US$5 for them to collect refuse.

“What really hurts us is that sometimes we see refuse trucks, but they come here already filled to the brim with garbage. They collect bins from selected houses and if you want them collect your garbage, you have to pay something to them,” said the disgruntled resident.

Meanwhile, the Highfiled residents applauded the Government for intervening to assist with service delivery in that area. The residents thanked the Government for drilling boreholes in Highfield and said that the initiative had helped to alleviate water shortages in that area.