Recommendations for dealing with all staff of the Municipality, ZESA, ZINWA etc Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) from Kubatana website www.kubatana.net The following are our recommendations for dealing with all staff of the Municipality, ZESA, ZINWA etc:  Be courteous at all times - the fight is with the bosses and their political masters, not the employees. Greet the employee politely but do not allow them access to your property. Ask for their names and identification and their business. Write down the details as well as the time and date. Ask for positive identification. If this is not provided, refuse to allow them access, citing the crime situation and your legitimate fears. If identification is provided, ask them to wait while you telephone their office to verify. Verify with the office. If you are a bona fide rates boycotter, explain that you refuse to pay rates until there is a legitimate Council in place to oversee the city and to represent your interests. If the Municipality wants to cut off your water, state that you have a legitimate grievance with the City of Harare, that you are a member of CHRA (unless you are not, in which case, join now, not just when you need help!) and that you will not provide access to your meter. State that you insist on getting a final demand and that you will go to court to defend your interests. State that it is illegal for the Municipality to cut off your water for any reason; especially to intimidate you, and that you will hold the employee personally liable for implementing an unlawful order. Refuse access to the employee. Inform CHRA immediately via chrainfo@zol.co.zw (and cc to gardener@zol.co.zw) or by phone (but provide a full written account of all interactions) CHRA will defend the interests of its members with legal assistance but only if you are a member, a bona fide boycotter and can demonstrate that you have not paid rates as part of our boycott. We cannot provide legal assistance to those who haven't paid accounts for financial or other reasons. We will not cover legal expenses incurred without our particular and express approval and then only for those fees incurred with our legal partners. If you have a specific problem other than arising from the boycott, CHRA will endeavour to assist but you must be a member to access our services. Please remember we are attempting to address the root causes of our predicament, not just the symptoms so bear with us if we cannot deal with barking dogs, noisy neighbours, and various other irritants!