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Voices from the community
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
April 11, 2012

Dear CHRA

As I am writing this letter, I am so disappointed with the services being provided by the City of Harare. Since the beginning of the year, refuse was only collected once in Highfields where I reside. As a result, my fellow residents are dumping refuse everywhere including the cemetery. There are burst sewer pipes and garbage close to the schools in Egypt which is giving us parents sleepless nights considering that Typhoid is still on the loose. I do not understand why the City is charging us for services not rendered considering most of us residents get income which is way below the poverty dartum line. The City of Harare should make efforts to provide us with scrap bins or at least collect refuse at Machipisa considering it's an area frequented by many people including children some of whom have a tendency of picking fruits at the market dumpsite.

Electricity supplies have also been erratic; we can go for 15 hours a day without electricity. This is causing serious financial problems for my family and me because we sell freezits, meat and ice cream for a living.

There is also an extreme shortage of water supplies; we only receive water during the night for roughly 3 hours which is barely enough to cater for our needs. The water has visible dirt particles and produces an oily form when boiled causing most of us residents stomach pains. As if that is not enough the City of Harare is making us replace our old and broken meters for $70 whereas its their duty to provide us with meters free of charge.

We as residents are hoping you could pursue the City of Harare on our behalf so that we get value for our money and possibly prevent disease outbreaks considering the conditions we are in.

Michael Banda
Highfield Resident

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