The Sunday News
Michael Magoronga
THE Kwekwe City Council has set aside $25 000 in the 2018 proposed budget for the installation of a Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) at the inter-city long distance bus terminus.
The CCTV, which will also be installed in the local authority’s banking halls, is part of measures to curb thefts and underhand dealings by municipal police and boost revenue collection. Kwekwe Mayor, Councillor Matenda Madzoke said this during a budget consultation meeting in the city on Monday.
“We intend to install the CCTV so that we minimise thefts, by our staff. As we are aware our coffers are in the negative and we are doing everything in our power to boost them and this is one method,” he said.
Clr Madzoke said all operations at the bus terminus would be monitored from the civic centre. The move comes at a time when the local authority is grappling with ballooning debts to various service providers. The council owes Zesa, NSSA, Zinwa and Zimra among other service providers more than $30 million.
Meanwhile, council has availed funds for the completion of the second phase of the bus terminus. Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo last year commissioned the terminus after the completion of the first phase and described it as one of the best in the country before urging other local authorities to emulate it.
The installation would be another plus for the state of the art terminus which also boasts of tuck-shops, pay toilet, call room and canteens. The second phase, expected to cost around $2 million, is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The city council has proposed to maintain a standstill budget of US$26 million budget for 2017.
