Energy Minister, Fortune Chasi has threatened to fire the company subcontracted by the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) for electricity vending and purchasing after consumers failed to purchase electricity tokens last week owing to a technical hiccup at the power utility’s vending system.
Speaking at a maize seed field day held at Mwenezana Estate on Thursday where he had accompanied Vice-President Constantine Chiwenga, the minister said:
Failure by residents to buy electricity tokens is happening month-in, month-out. I receive inquiries from the public after they fail to buy electricity tokens every first week of the new month. This has left the public inconvenienced. This must come to an end.
I will be meeting Zesa and the private contractor running the vending system who has failed to deliver. The contractor must shape up or ship out.
Zesa gets money from the tokens. The contractor gets money from the tokens, but fails to deliver. It is coming to an end.
The power utility last week reported that the vending system was overwhelmed as users stampeded to buy relatively cheaper electricity at the beginning of the month.
Zimbabwe’s power crisis improved in the recent past, even before the lockdown partially because of clearance of ESKOM debt and refurbishment of Hwange Power Station as well as improved water levels in Kariba Dam.
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