This
was
said
by
city
mayor,
Cllr
David
Coltart
while
addressing
councillors
during
the
latest
Full
Council
Meeting.
Cllr
Coltart
said
the
council
must
work
with
the
Zimbabwe
Republic
Police
to
effect
these
arrests,
and
that
the
perpetrators
must
not
only
be
fined
for
breaching
by-laws
but
must
be
criminally
charged
for
theft
and
malicious
damage
of
property.
“There
is
the
unlawful
breaking
of
our
water
distribution
infrastructure.
Since
our
last
meeting,
we
have
had
several
incidents
of
individuals
and
even
companies
breaking
into
our
water
lines
using
large
bowsers
to
extract
water,
no
doubt
for
profit,
but
damaging
infrastructure
and
in
essence
stealing
council
property-water,”
Cllr
Coltart
said.
“Of
course,
there
is
a
limit
to
what
the
municipal
police
can
do
to
combat
this
and
we
desperately
need
the
assistance
of
the
Zimbabwe
Republic
Police
as
we
seek
to
combat
this
lawlessness.
Those
who
are
found
wanting
should
be
arrested
and
not
just
fined
for
breach
of
our
bylaws
but
should
be
charged
with
theft
and
malicious
property
damage
too.”
Cllr
Coltart
proposed
that
upon
arrest,
the
equipment
used
for
the
criminal
activities
must
be
seized
and
held
as
exhibits
during
the
criminal
proceedings.
“We
can
speak
as
long
as
we
like
but
without
the
assistance
of
the
ZRP
our
efforts
will
be
in
vain.
Our
own
municipal
police
and
our
office
do
not
have
the
capacity
and
legal
rights
to
effectively
ensure
that
we
deal
with
this.”
“I
wish
to
address
the
issue
of
lawlessness
which
is
affecting
the
operations
of
our
council.
I
must
make
these
remarks
because
they
have
a
very
broad
impact
on
our
operations.
We
can
pass
as
many
resolutions
as
we
like
but
if
a
culture
of
lawlessness
prevails,
in
our
city
those
resolutions
will
be
undone,”
Cllr
Coltart
said.