CoH threatens mass evictions, water cuts over ZiG$500m debt

The City of Harare has announced a drastic clampdown on long-standing tenants occupying council-owned properties, targeting defaulters in Dzivarasekwa, the central business district (CBD), and surrounding areas in an effort to recover over ZiG$500 million (US$18.53 million) in unpaid rent and service charges.

Officials blame this massive debt, accumulated over five years of non-payment, for crippling essential services across the capital.

The city’s first step will be cutting off water supplies to all delinquent properties, followed by enforced closures under public health regulations.

“We are disconnecting water supplies on all properties within the CBD and industry suburbs that owe the City for rates and services.

“After that, the properties will be closed off by our City Health Department for operating without water in contravention of the Public Health Act and the Harare Licensed Premises by-law,” said City of Harare spokesperson Stanley Gama.

“We are owed in excess of ZiG 500 million by residents occupying councils rented premises,” Gama added.

Gama emphasised that inflation and non-payment have worsened the crisis.

“This has caused significant revenue losses due to loss of value of money from the ZWL era and also the non-payment has significantly impacted service delivery,” he said.

The crackdown threatens to devastate small businesses, informal traders, and tuck shops operating in council properties, many of whom sublease space and now face abrupt closures despite not being direct debtors to the municipality.

Officials declined to specify when enforcement would begin but warned that all defaulters, regardless of how long they’ve occupied the properties, will face consequences.

The city directly links years of unpaid bills to deteriorating infrastructure, including chronic water shortages, uncollected waste, and crumbling roads, insisting that recovering these funds is critical to restoring basic services for Harare’s residents.

Newshour