By Byron Mutingwende
Harare residents who successfully waged a battle that forced City of Harare to abandon the engagement of Well-cash debt collectors have taken the legal route to recover their money, which has not been deducted from their bills.
In a letter dated 06 June 2017, Allen Moyo Attorneys at Law who is representing residents in their personal capacity and through Community Water Alliance gave City of Harare a 48 hours ultimatum. The residents of Harare through their legal representative Allen Moyo required an urgent explanation from City of Harare on why their payments through Well-cash were not credited to their accounts.
The letter made reference to provisions in the contract between City of Harare and Well-cash including the illegal agreement of a commission claim, which is deemed not enforced by law.
“Ignorance to reply the letter would force residents to approach the courts for redress,” said the residents in their court apllication.
In a telephone conversation between this publication and Community Water Alliance Programme Manager, Hardlife Mudzingwa said, “public interest litigation is the only option to ensure residents recover their money and the paperwork has been prepared by the legal counsel Allen Moyo. We will leave no stone un-turned in ensuring that residents’ payments through Well-cash debt collectors are credited in their accounts”.
The legal representative Allen Moyo said no reply had been secured by the lapse of the ultimatum and therefore the legal suit will proceed from Friday 9 June 2017.
Efforts to get a comment from Harare Mayor Ben Manyenyeni were fruitless although he is on record of stating that Well-cash debt collectors had already been disengaged by City of Harare.
