Energy Minister, advocate Fortune Chasi has said that he is optimistic that South Africa will help Zimbabwe get out of its power deficit crisis.
His remarks come after his second visit to South Africa where he went to negotiate a power deal that would see South Africa power utility, ESKOM resuming exportation of electricity to Zimbabwe.
Responding to emailed questions by Sunday News, Chasi said:
We met with the (South African) Minister of Energy the day before yesterday and we discussed with him our situation and he was very empathetic to it. I’m reasonably optimistic that they (South Africa) will be helping us but they will go through their own internal processes to consider our own situation.
I’m reasonably optimistic now that I have spoken to him (Minister Radebe). I’m also aware of the challenges faced by South Africa and I’m not going to put pressure on the minister and Eskom. They have to carefully consider what we discussed and then come up with a position but like I said I’m reasonably optimistic.
Zimbabwe has a huge power deficit that has seen local power utility, ZESA, rolling out a crippling power cut schedule, locally known as load-shedding, which has seen most parts of the country going without power between 0400 hours and 2200 hours daily.
He added that he would, after finishing talks with South Africa, head to Mozambique for talks with Hydro Cahorra Bassa which the country also owes huge sums of money.
More: Sunday News
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