where the power utility’s teams are going around switching-off all residents with illegal power connections either to their extended houses or cottages.

Most residents running businesses in their backyards, especially fowl runs with illegally connected power have been affected.
Some affected Gweru residents who spoke to Chronicle yesterday said the power utility’s Murambatsvina exercise left most houses in different suburbs in the city without electricity.

“What the power utility is doing is not fair. Their teams are disconnecting power even to some of us who are in the poultry business. They have disconnected power at our fowl runs where we had connected power on a temporary basis.

“They should have just disconnected power to the fowl run instead of disconnecting electricity at the main house. They are alleging that the houses were illegally connected,” said Mr Roland Magwizi from Southdowns in Gweru.

Mr Magwizi said they were being charged between $100 and $150 as fines for the illegal power connections. “It’s very painful that some of us who do not owe the power utility any money are being forced to stay in the dark as a result of the exercise. I don’t believe this is fair,” he said.

Another resident, Mrs Locadia Moyo from Riverside suburb, said the $150 fine was exorbitant.

“I think the power utility is now trying to raise money through fining residents with illegal power connections.

“The fines are so exorbitant and unjustified. Some of us are not employed and we raise money through these poultry projects, which are said to be illegally connected to electricity,” she said.

Mr Pardon Svova said his house was disconnected last week and was forced to celebrate Independence Day in the dark.

“I only managed to raise the required $100 fine yesterday after having spent close to two weeks in the dark following the blitz,” he said.

Contacted for comment, ZETDC southern region manager Engineer King Dube confirmed that the parastatal’s loss control team launched a blitz on illegal power connections.

Eng Dube said the power utility has noted with concern the increased number of households with illegally connected power.

He said the exercise was meant to protect clients from exposing themselves to the danger of possible electrocution. “The exercise is meant to protect clients from being electrocuted because by illegally connecting power, the residents expose themselves to danger,” he said.

Eng Dube said residents should apply to the power utility for any power connections.

“No matter the kind of electricity connections, residents are obliged to apply to Zesa so that the connection would be inspected as a preventive measure.

“We have instances where lives have been lost due to electrocution and it is the duty of the power utility to prevent residents and our valued clients by inspecting all power connections before use,” he said.

You Might Also Like

Comments