Residents angry with Zesa estimate bills
Sunday, 02 September 2012 10:08
HARARE – Harare Residents’ Trust (HRT) in the public interest and in the
fulfilment of its vision of a free and prosperous citizenry continued to
receive reports from residents owing to the continued use of estimated
billing instead of actual meter readings to reflect actual consumption.
Residents are concerned with the operations of the Zimbabwe Electricity
Distribution Company (ZETDC), as the billing authority. “This has left the
majority of the populace in debt, given the social and economic hardships.”
Widespread power disconnections have followed across Harare, including some
buildings in the Central Business District.
During the first two weeks of August 2012, the HRT recorded 180 cases of
residents whose electricity had been disconnected, with the majority of
these cases based on estimated bills.
As a success, the HRT has been able to have these cases re-evaluated to
reflect actual consumption as residents are being trained to read their own
meters.
“The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) has not satisfactorily
explained how residents’ bills have continued to rise above their incomes
and capacities.
“The HRT urges Zesa to immediately review the bills of the residents
downwards to reflect actual consumption and the capacity or ability of the
recipients of the services to pay,” said HRT.
The residents’ body urged Zesa’s public relations officials to be available
when they are needed to address residents’ concerns within communities.
“HRT strongly advocates for the complete reduction of the debts owed to
ZETDC by the residents.
In line with the HRT objective Number three “to facilitate engagement among
council officials, service providers and the citizenry to improve the
standards of living in Harare Metropolitan Province”, the organisation will
continually endeavour to seek and facilitate dialogue between ZETDC and the
residents in order to reach a common understanding in pursuit of an
efficient electricity provision system.
“Also in line with objective Number four to “monitor and audit the
performance of service providers so that they deliver quality and affordable
services to the citizenry”, the HRT will continue to closely monitor how the
national power utility provides services to its customers to ensure
accountability and value for money for the residents. A transparent billing
system is a must if electricity consumers are going to pay up their bills.”
Below is a summarised brief on the provision of electricity and its
distribution in the various suburbs within Harare based on information
provided by HRT Community Coordinators and the various suburban residents’
committees:
Waterfalls: Uplands, Picnic Park, Hilton Park, Cheviot and Shortson areas
experience electricity power outages from 0510 hours or 0600 hours in the
morning to around 1300 hours.
When there is no electricity in the morning it will be back in the afternoon
or it is vice-versa.
The electricity is usually cut off for seven hours. Residents are forced to
buy paraffin which costs US$1,15 per litre and firewood which costs $1 for
four pieces.
Mbare: Power outages are usually experienced for five hours in Mbare
National, Jourburg Lines, Nenyere and Mbare flats.
At Matapi hostels, there is rarely load shedding because they are
interconnected to Matapi Police Station and home industrial areas.
Hatfield: Residents have always been satisfied with supplies. However, in
the past three weeks, electricity supplies have been cut off in excess of
four hours daily.
Borrowdale/Mount Pleasant: An improvement has been noted by most residents
but they require Zesa to follow a known timetable.
The residents are sometimes switched off for an hour or for five hours then
switched on.
Greendale, Mandara, Highlands and Chisipite — Improvements have been noted
by residents.
Duration of load shedding has been reduced from eight to five hours per day
in the last week.
Residents are mainly complaining due to increased expenditure on fuels for
their generators and firewood and paraffin in place of electricity.
Tashinga — Electricity outages are experienced from 0500 hours to 1300 hours
daily.
Dzivarasekwa — The area experience power outages for averagely four hours.
Kuwadzana Extension — There is an average of eight hours without electricity
every day.
Kuwadzana — an average of eight hours to 9 hours without electricity.
Warren Park — Power outages averagely eight hours a day.
Highfield, Jerusalem and Egypt — During weekdays there are power outages
from are experienced from 9am to 2pm and on particular days load shedding is
experienced between 2pm and 9pm.
The load shedding at times alternates between the two suburbs.
Glen View — Electricity is available from 8pm to 9am on Monday, Wednesday
and Friday but on Tuesdays and Thursdays there is electricity supply during
the day from 9 am to 6pm.
Glen Norah A — Electricity is supplied four hours during the day and power
cuts are experienced twice or thrice a day, increasing the risk to people
and damage of electrical gadgets.
Glen Norah B — There is load shedding from 2pm to 10pm during the day.
Budiriro 4 — Load shedding is experienced twice a day from 6am to 12pm and
from 2pm to 8pm during weekdays.
Budiriro 3 — There is no supply during the day from 6am to 8pm especially
during weekdays.
Mufakose — Electricity has been supplied consistently from the first week of
August.