Published by the government of Zimbabwe
24 October 2009
Harare — MUNICH mayor Councillor Hep Monatzeder has warned Harare City Council against privatisation of its water services saying such a move would disadvantage residents in the long-term.
"We feel we could assist you in guidance and advice to help you not to lose sight of the long-term effects, measures and decisions, which need to be made today and need to be made urgently," he said.
He made the remarks during the signing of a co-operation agreement between the two cities and promised that Munich would continue assisting Harare.
The agreement allows co-operation in waste management, health, information technology, employee exchange, and councillor capacity building programmes, climate protection and sustainable development, identification of funding partners for projects among a host of other local government areas.
Clr Monatzeder said in the short-term, privatisation of water would relieve the city of a great burden but in the long run residents would lose. "They would be at the mercy of commercially oriented enterprises, instead of being in the hands of a city administration, which is obliged to act in a socially responsible manner," he said.
He said if a council failed to deliver water it would not be re-elected.
Clr Monatzerder said Harare should learn from the experience of other countries that took the same route. He also observed that some of the problems faced by Harare and the country were self-inflicted.
"This deterioration is not due to a natural catastrophe, but is home-made. I do not intend to hide from you my anger and resentment, which have surfaced during this week, often and regularly. My anger about the deterioration and decline of this country, which has so much to offer in terms of possibilities and resources," he said.
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