ZESA Angers Glen Norah Residents
HRT Membership Desk
4 June 2012, Glen Norah – ZESA has adopted punitive measures to defaulting
residents here who have not been paying their electricity bills consistently
by embarking in wide spread electricity disconnections. Residents in the
area have various reasons why they have not been settling their monthly
electricity bills. Residents feel that electricity bills are based on
estimates and are not a true reflection of the consumption at household
level, load shedding and faulty billing. This has frustrated some
breadwinners in the community who earn way below the poverty datum line.
This has left them with what they said “no reason to pay electricity bills”.
This contradicts the HRT policy which advocates for shared responsibility
between residents and service providers in service delivery. From the HRT’s
perspective, residents should exhibit their responsibility in service
delivery mainly by paying bills for services rendered. However, rates
should be affordable for the good of the greater public.
Having received the reports of massive power disconnections from the Glen
Norah B’ Residents’ Committee (GRC), that is responsible for monitoring and
evaluating community service delivery by service providers, the HRT
facilitated a mobile case work clinic in the area. From the interviews held
by the HRT Membership Officer, Simbarashe Majamanda, HRT Community
Coordinator Ms Abigail Itayi and the HRT Programs Intern, Mr Marshall
Masiyazi from the Midlands State University on Tuesday 29 May 2012 in Glen
Norah B Community, the dire economic situation of the country has affected
the capacity of residents to pay electricity bills. Most residents
appreciated that they have an obligation to pay for their electricity but
they have failed due to their socio-economic status. Eighty-nine (89)
reports from 53 women and 36 men were received and documented by the HRT
team within three hours at one of the households in the community.
The local Member of Parliament Honourable Gift Dzirutwe is seriously
concerned with the situation. He has helped the residents to deal with the
situation through sharing information and providing transport to the ZESA
offices in the city centre.
The following key issues came from the interviews:
Economic problems: Elderly men and women interviewed aged between 59 and
75 said they lack a source of income which has affected their capacity to
settle their electricity bills. Elderly women said that most of them are
widowed and they rely mostly on vending activities which does not give them
much money for survival. As vendors they also face challenges from the
Zimbabwe Republic Police and Municipal Police who conduct raids in the name
of illegal vending activities. This clearly shows that they also lack access
to designated vending points or that they do not afford them if they are
available.
Faulty billing: Residents said that even if they make payments to ZESA,
the debt continues to sky rocket. “It appears making a payment is an
indication that you have a bit of money that ZESA can suck from you” said
one elderly man aged 85 who showed that he does not have any hope to clear
his debt which currently stands at $954.21 Account Number 283786651. The man
went on to say that he was prepared to pay $45.00 per month for electricity.
Growing insecurity: There is a feeling that residents may lose their
properties just as what happened to three households in Mabvuku after debt
collectors confiscated their properties due to outstanding water rates in
February 2012. Elderly women said that the high debts have caused insecurity
to their children who are the heirs to their properties which they have also
not fully acquired from council under the “rent to buy program”.
Unprofessional conduct by ZESA employees: Some of the interviewees
revealed that ZESA officials are very uncooperative and hostile whenever
they attempt seeking detailed explanations on their accounts. Residents in
the area have resorted to bribing ZESA employees around $30.00 to avoid
disconnection of electricity. Several residents have done this in the
community and continue to fall prey to the ZESA employees.
Transition to multicurrency system: Although the ZESA Public Relations
Officer, Mr Fullard Gwasira reported to HRT Communications Officer, Mr
Shingayi Jena that ZESA indicated that ZESA scrapped off debts from
residents accounts following the transition from the Zimbabwe dollar era to
the multi-currency regime in February 2009, residents in the area are of the
view that the transition was ill- managed and lacked transparency. From the
residents’ viewpoint, the debts have accumulated largely due to estimated
billing, the manipulated transition from the local currency to the
multi-currency system, and the interest charged on overdue accounts.
Current situation: HRT offices are overwhelmed by residents who have ZESA
complaints and they require ZESA’s assistance. The HRT Membership Desk is
receiving reports of unprofessional conduct by the Harare ZESA Sales
Managers specifically the ZESA Sales Manager who are telling referred
clients that they are not prepared to read HRT referral letters in which the
HRT writes to seek their intervention on individual cases. ZESA is saying
that residents whose electricity was disconnected are supposed to settle
their bills in full. According to one female client this morning, the ZESA
sales manager told her that he was not going to read her letter. She
mentioned that she is prepared to pay $50.00 per month. She was advised
that she could pay the $50.00 per month until her debt is cleared then her
electricity would be reconnected. Last week, some clients were assisted by
the Sales Manager but it was upon payment of 25% of the debt which was
reduced to the previous 50% requirement. There is growing tension between
ZESA and the residents of Glen Norah. Some residents have resorted to
reconnecting power illegally which is contrary to the HRT policy. They have
and are also using the few dollars they had reserved to paying their
electricity for other pressing needs at household level.
If the situation continues, ZESA employees face the risk of experiencing a
backlash from disgruntled residents. It is up to ZESA to treat residents
with respect or regret their uncalled for actions. It is time to change the
approach or be forced to change the approach! The choice is for ZESA to
make.
This will not benefit ZESA or the resident. We need to be realistic to
address residents’ needs as well as the capacity needs of ZESA as the
service provider.
For details and comments, please contact us on [email protected]/
[email protected] or our website www.hrt.org.zw