Council Charges Money To Draw Borehole Water – Eduzim News

Upper Manyame Sub-Catchment Council

By A Correspondent | ZimEye | A resident has come forward with shocking allegations of corruption and unethical practices at the Upper Manyame Sub-Catchment Council after experiencing frustration while attempting to make a payment for a borehole permit. The incident, which occurred today, has sparked outrage over the alleged abuse of authority and lack of transparency in government-related institutions.

According to the complainant, they were denied the ability to swipe their bank card to make the payment without producing a national ID—a demand that many feel is excessive and unnecessary. What made the situation more questionable is that paying in USD cash was allowed without any such requirement.

“I was told I could only swipe if I produced my ID, yet paying in cash required no such proof,” the complainant said. “This inconsistency shows clear favoritism towards cash payments, which raises serious questions about financial integrity and transparency.”

Concerns Over Transparency

The complainant noted that a notice was posted at the cash office clearly outlining the ID requirement for swiping, further reinforcing suspicions about deliberate efforts to inconvenience card payments in favor of cash transactions. “Why would they make it harder to pay digitally unless there’s something fishy happening with cash payments?” the complainant asked.

Water Access Crisis

The allegations are made worse by frustrations over the council’s poor service delivery. Despite charging fees for borehole drilling and water usage, the complainant reported that the council does not supply water to their area. “Access to water is a basic human right. How can they charge us exorbitant fees and then make the process of paying unnecessarily difficult?”

The situation has reignited anger over the state of water services in Zimbabwe, where residents often bear the cost of drilling their own boreholes while receiving little to no support from local authorities.

Calls for Action

The complainant is calling on the Government of Zimbabwe and anti-corruption agencies to investigate the alleged misconduct and hold those responsible accountable. “This is unacceptable. Financial intelligence authorities must step in, and those involved should face justice. Access to water is a right, not a privilege,” they said.

allegations.

This is a developing story.

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