Toxic Fuel Floods Zimbabwe As Fuel Firms Defy Government
Some fuel dealers have reportedly defied a government directive and continue to sell unleaded and toxic fuel in violation of the law.
The government banned the sale of unleaded petrol, effective September 1, 2024, by introducing Statutory Instrument 150 of 2024, which provides the mandatory blending of anhydrous ethanol with petrol.
However, a snap survey conducted this week by Business Times revealed that several service stations including Puma, Trek, Zuva and Redan outlets have defied the government directive and are still selling unleaded petrol.
In contrast, Total Energies, Engen and Glow service stations have complied with the law.
In an interview with Business Times, Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) CEO Edington Mazambani said that the regulatory body conducts random inspections to ensure fuel dealers’ compliance with regulations.
These unannounced checks aim to maintain standards and prevent malpractice in the fuel industry. Mazambani said:
Government has not relaxed the fuel blending regulations. All fuel transported through the pipeline is blended before upliftment from either Feruka or Msasa depots.
ZERA, through fuel quality compliance checks, on the adherence to specifications as provided in fuel quality regulations.
Mazambani said ZERA was intensifying its crackdown on fuel companies and was taking measures to make punishment for offenders more deterrent. He said:
ZERA is sharpening enforcement and regulatory tools by initiating, developing and reviewing fuel quality standards and regulations to make punishments more deterrent.
ZERA is increasing its monitoring and enforcement capacity by establishing and adequately manning regional offices to increase the frequency of random testing and responsiveness to complaints.
ZERA is working closely with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to enforce fuel quality regulations through site closures and arrests of operators.
Mazambani also said ZERA has resolved to name and shame fuel service stations found to have contaminated fuel. He said:
ZERA has always conducted fuel quality monitoring in the market with zero tolerance for fuel contamination and adulteration.
The naming of those service stations caught with contaminated fuel is meant to raise consumer awareness and encourage service stations to comply with set fuel quality standards and specifications.
The problem is not limited to Harare alone. The list published shows companies caught and prosecuted so far between January and June 2024 country wide covering Quarters 1 and 2 of the year.
Bulawayo, Mutare, Masvingo, Ruwa, and Marondera each had sites prosecuted in the period. Harare has more than 50% of the total fuel retail sites in the country and this also shows in the statistics of convictions.
ZERA shall be publishing the lists of convicted retail sites countrywide at the end of Quarter 3 in September 2024 upon finalisation of their cases.
Last month, ZERA took decisive action against non-compliant fuel stations. The authority convicted and fined 12 stations for selling contaminated fuel, while also revoking the operating license of one establishment.
ZERA has expressed grave concern over the alarming increase in toxic or contaminated fuel infiltrating the Zimbabwean market, describing the current levels as unprecedented.
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