The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing July Moyo has challenged claims by the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (Private) Limited that he owes over US$400 000 in unpaid electricity bills.
ZETDC dragged the Minister to court over the debt several weeks ago. With the matter set for a pre-trial conference before the High Court on Thursday, Minister Moyo denies owing ZETDC US$414 775,79. In his defendant plea, Minister Moyo said:
Defendant specifically avers that the customer information printout does not correctly reflect the electricity consumed by the defendant.
Defendant denies utilising the electricity reflected in Annexure A. Plaintiff is accordingly put to the strict proof of the fact that they consumed the said electricity.
… Defendant further avers that the figures inserted in Annexure A are fictitious, as evidenced by the claim of US$155 414,27 which appears on invoice number 356572323 dated July 23, 2014, and the claim for US$11 566,33 which appears on invoice number 536872434 dated November 14, 2017.
ZETDC has, however, vowed to prove that it is owed the amount it is claiming.