Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), a subsidiary of ZESA Holdings has warned that the already dire power crisis in the country could get worse.
This was revealed by Gweru District Sales Executive, Mr Lovemore Makumbe, during a two-day engagement meeting organised by the Women’s Coalition in Zimbabwe (WCoZ) Midlands Chapter in Gweru recently.
Makumbe said that there were several factors that were working against the company’s efforts to improve the power situation in the country. He said:
The situation with regards to power in Zimbabwe is dire and it can only get worse, it is really bad.
We had a stand off a while ago with our major raw material suppliers in the production of electricity which is coal and diesel in Hwange. As you know diesel prices were increased and coal prices are up so we had a deadlock for almost two weeks trying to resist this because as ZESA our tariffs are still the same.
His remarks come when the local power utility, ZESA, has rolled out a crippling power cuts schedule that has seen most parts of the country going without power between 0400 hours and 2200 hours daily.
ZESA has been making efforts to engage South Africa power utility, ESKOM, in an endeavour to influence its South Africa counterpart to resume supply of electricity to Zimbabwe.
The power crisis has since caused huge damages to businesses and households with some businesses suspending business whilst some have registered and or anticipate huge losses.
More: Midlands Monitor
There is need for a paradigm shift at ZEDTC
Instead of cutting down the supply of power, Zesa should cuts down its bosses’s hefty salaries and allowances. This will help them to pay the debts they owe to the neighbouring countries. Increasing tarrifs is not the solution as long the salaries system is not reviewed.
The crisis is crippling but the incompetence is enriching!!
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