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"Whites not paying rates worse than average criminals"
The Herald Online
Herald Reporter
Saturday, 6 October 2001

THE Zanu-PF deputy secretary for Information and Publicity, Professor Jonathan Moyo, has accused white residents who are not paying Harare City Council rates of being worse than average criminals.

At least 80 white residents and six major hotels owe the city over $11 million in unpaid rates for the past seven months in an attempt to press for mayoral elections.

In a statement Prof Moyo said by not paying rates the residents were acting like criminals "because their illegal actions constitute theft from law abiding citizens who are paying their lawful rates".

He said what was "ironic was that the very same people who have been making noise here and especially overseas, about the virtues of the rule of law had become lawless by not lawfully paying rates as a political strategy specifically designed to assist the hopeless opposition which is increasingly becoming afraid of contesting free and fair democratic elections".

Prof Moyo called on the relevant authorities to adopt swift action to "nip mayhem in the bud in the interest of the rule of law".

He said the white residents had to be reminded that Zimbabwe would never go back to the "dark days of Salisbury" by actions which include cutting off their water and electricity supplies.

Prof Moyo also called on the authorities to review the "appropriate legislation to ensure that these culprits are prosecuted in the courts of law and thrown in jail where criminals like them belong".

A group of about 80 Harare residents and six major hotels owed the city over $11 million in unpaid rates for the past seven months in an attempt to press for mayoral elections.

The residents and some hotels said they would not pay rates until an elected council and not a handpicked commission was at the helm. The hotels have since paid their dues.

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