Jojo tank tax introduced

Zim Now Reporter

Rusape Town Council has introduced a policy to regulate water tank stands commonly known as "Jojo tanks" within its jurisdiction,

The council announced in a statement that all water storage tanks with a capacity of 5,000 liters or more, regardless of height, must be certified.

Tanks with a capacity of 1,000 liters or more must also be certified if the stand is two meters or more above ground.

Property owners with existing tank stands are required to regularize their structures by obtaining structural certification before May 31, 2025 by engaging qualified structural engineers for inspections.

A fee of USD 20 will be charged for submitting the certification to the council.

Non-compliance may result in penalties or enforcement actions.

Zimbabwe has recorded some fatalities over the past few years after water tank mountings collapsed.

Many residential and commercial property owners across the country have resorted to installing mounted tanks due to erratic water supplies.

1. October 2021: A Jojo water tank collapsed in Chitungwiza, resulting in the deaths of two children. This incident highlighted the dangers associated with improperly installed tanks, which are often placed in unsafe locations due to hasty installation practices by untrained technicians

2. February 2021: A five-year-old girl from Chinhoyi died when a neighbor's improperly secured 5,000-litre water tank fell on her. Her family members sustained serious injuries during this incident, further emphasizing the risks involved with poorly maintained or installed water tanks

3. October 2020: A galvanized steel water tank collapsed in Chitungwiza, killing two individuals. The tank was overloaded, and the structural failure led to significant tragedy for the affected families