By Nobleman Runyanga
Some yet to be identified scammers going by the name of Mbuya naSekuru are targeting elderly Chitungwiza ratepayers who owe the Chitungwiza Municipality various amounts in unpaid rates.
The group has so far approached a number of elderly property owners in the town whom they ask to join them and pay $10 towards their debts at the municipality with the promise that this would result in their debts being cancelled.
“Members of the group, two smartly dressed young, approached me last Wednesday and offered to clear my $344 debt with the municipality if I paid $10 and became their member. They promised pass by this week to confirm that I had paid before calling all members to a meeting at a date and venue which they were yet to decide. I made my payment on Monday this week and, upon enquiring my outstanding balance, I was shocked to learn that it was still at $334,” said Mbuya Rice of Zengeza 4.
Chitungwiza Municipality Finance Director, Evangelista Machona denied the existence of any municipal debt cancellation programme for the town’s elderly debtors. The municipality has since pasted up a notice at its four revenue halls warning ratepayers against the scam.
“It has come to the Council’s attention that elderly people are being advised that if they pay $10 rates their debts will be written off. Please be advised that Council has never made any arrangements of that nature with anyone,” read the notice which is dated 31 January 2019.
Petros Chinyena, a 65-year old retired ZUPCO bus driver of Seke suburb’s Unit F area also fell victim to the scam. He warned other elderly property owners from entertaining anyone other than the municipality about their debts.
“Fellow property owners should not talk to any other party except the municipality about their debts. Who knows, maybe next time they will direct payments to non-municipality entities thereby robbing some people of their hard earned money,” said Chinyena.
The Harare Post could not readily establish the number of people who fell victim to the scammers or the total amounts involved. The publication could not tell how the scam was supposed to benefit its perpetrators since so far it was directing payments to Chitungwiza Municipality.
