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Council cuts off water supplies as Court turns down urgent appeal
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
The Resident Issue 34
April 13, 2004

Council has defied the law by cutting off water supply to some residents who heeded the call for a rates boycott made by Combined Harare Residents Association in February. Residents in Marlborough, Mount Pleasant, Eastlea and Highlands have also received letters threatening water cut offs.

Mr. T. Dunn, a resident described council's actions as deplorable. "They have just cut off my water!", he said in a telephone interview. His tone did little to hide the anxiety that was caused by the letter he received a few days ago. Mr. Dunn, and many people like him will now be expected to fork out $150,000.00 in reconnection fees. Mr. Dunn urged Combined Harare Residents Association to come up with a way around this problem. "Council has not paid heed to our concern. They have simply cut off our water. CHRA must tell us what to do next."

Talk of council reviewing the water rates has now ceased, and residents await this month's water bills which must reflect even greater increases as residents enter the second quarter.

Combined Harare Residents Association's application to have the Harare City Council budget revised was turned down by the High Court last week. Presiding over the issue, Justice Kamucha stated that the matter was not urgent; there were other ways by which CHRA could seek recourse. Combined Harare Residents Association has since decided to take further recourse in the courts on behalf of residents who have had their water cut off.

Residents must lobby their membership to continue paying the December rates to compel council to review the current budget. Residents should state that they are boycotting rates payment until council reviews the budget.

Visit the CHRA fact sheet

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