By Tovin Ngombe
Sinazongwe District Council has notified business organisation and the stakeholders on its intention to increase the levies that have not been increased for many years says.
Sinazongwe Council Secretary Oliver Muuka said in an interview that some levies have not been increased for the past 10 years while the demand for continued provision of services to the community has increased.
Mr. Muuka said the Council would call the business organisations and stakeholders for a meeting to discuss the proposed increment to ensure that all parties were satisfied with the proposals.
He said the culture of people refusing new levies any time the local Authority needed to increase them should be avoided because the council required resources to provided meaningful services to the community.
The Council Secretary noted that with the current situation were prices of fuel and inflation, were still high the council could not operate effectively with the rates that were still too low to meet the current demand for social services to the community.
“Surely the K30 being charged for every kg of kapenta was too insignificant with current economic performance, and the problem should not be on the proposed increment but on how much rates will be effected,†said Mr. Muuka.
However, Johnann Jordaan the owner of Crocodile farm in Siansowa said the proposed rates were too high and it would affect his business.
Mr. Jordaan said he was doing a lot for community and if he was taxed too much it would limit his assistance to the community.
He said the Council should ensure that the proposed rates do not hinder investment in the district and that they should ensure the rates for Sianvonga district and Gwemba were harmonized since they in the same valley
