Kariba council, ZESA strike deal

TICHAONA KATSVAMUTIMA     IN KARIBA

Kariba Town Council has engaged ZESA to restore electricity after the power authority switched off the local authority’s water treatment plant over ZWL$27m debt.

ZESA cut off Kariba  last week.

The move saw residents risking their lives  by fetching water from the crocodile-infested Kariba Dam, sparking an outcry from the residents.

Kariba acting town clerk, Champion Nyaude confirmed the local authority struck a deal with ZESA’s subsidiary the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission Distribution Company (ZETDC).

He said  ZWL$5m was paid on Tuesday this week through an offset arrangement.

“We engaged ZETDC and managed to strike a deal that resulted in power being restored,” he said.

“We paid part of the money and ZETDC cleared part of what they owe us through an offset arrangement.”

Nyaude said the terms of the payment plan would not be easy on council following low revenue collection.

To that end, he said, residents needed to settle their bills and clear the more than ZWL$200m the municipality is owed by residents and other ratepayers.

The Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trusts Mashonaland West Chairperson Liberty Chitiya said Kariba  Town Council’s maladministration was exposed following ZESA’s  disconnection.

“Council is now exposed. We pay rates for services but they are not paying their electricity bills,” Chitiya said.

He added: “It’s very sad for a town like Kariba which is close to the largest water body in Zimbabwe and where power is generated to run out of clean water due to incompetent people who are failing to settle a debt, thus residents are the most affected ones.

“For example they had to walk to the crocodile infested lake fetching water at the same time council is asking residents to pay for reconnection of power at the water treatment plant.”

ZESA is owed more than ZWL$15bn by various consumers across the country and has embarked on a disconnection blitz targeting all defaulters.

ZESA Holdings spokesperson George Manyaya said the response from defaulting customers was encouraging.

“…we would like to thank valued customers for responding to the call to clear their outstanding balances, we saw various institutions, corporates, households, farms being disconnected, some have started paying, and others have asked for payment plans,” Manyaya said.