SCORES of consumers
were left stranded in Bulawayo yesterday, failing to buy prepaid power tokens
as the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC)
online system had some technical glitches.
Enterprising electricity token vendors who somehow had
access to the system in the city yesterday were selling the tokens with a 30
percent premium.
Only the ZETDC 13th Avenue branch was open and there was a
very long queue of consumers seeking service.
In the queues, consumers were failing to maintain social
distancing, with residents disregarding Covid-19 prevention measures as some
were not properly wearing their masks.
Mrs Mavis Ncube said Zesa was short-changing consumers. She
said electricity had run out at her house on Thursday and perishables in her
refrigerator were going bad.
“The Zesa banking hall in Nkulumane was shut down long ago.
We can only buy power via EcoCash, supermarkets or at Zesa offices in the city
centre. All other platforms are down except the offices in town. You know how
difficult it is to get into town nowadays. Zesa should just get technicians to
fix this problem,” she fumed.
Mrs Ncube said she had joined the queue around 9AM and
three hours later, she had moved a few metres.
Mr Sipho Nyathi from Gwabalanda said he was afraid of
catching Covid-19 in the queue but he had no choice.
“There is no social distancing here. We may all get sick.
If EcoCash was working, I could have bought tokens from home,” he said.
“It is fishy that when no one else seems to be able to
access the electricity token network, some electricity vendors are doing it.
They are exploiting consumers by demanding 30 percent of one’s purchase on top
of the regular price.”
Energy and Power Development Minister Fortune Chasi had, by
press time, not responded to questions sent to him, while his phone rang
unanswered.
His deputy, Cde Magna Mudyiwa said she was not aware of the
matter as she had travelled to her constituency.
“I’m sorry I am not sure of what could have been the
challenge as I was in the constituency. Perhaps there is a problem with the
system. I am driving to Harare and I will be able to give a response tomorrow
after establishing the challenge,” she said.
There is a growing pattern of system glitches on the
electricity payment platforms as most people prefer to purchase power on the
first day of the month due to a misconception that electricity is cheaper at
the beginning of the month.
However, electricity only becomes more expensive if a
consumer buys more than 300kwh in any calendar month.
Some consumers had genuinely run out of power before month-end
and had patiently waited for the new month to buy the subsidised electricity
tokens as they could not afford the non-subsidised tariff band.
Most consumers buy electricity using online platforms
including EcoCash and through other financial institutions but all the
facilities were down yesterday, leaving citizens stranded.
Last month, after the system glitches, consumers took to
social media to vent their frustrations, prompting Minister Chasi to say he
would engage the utility over the matter.
“I have received many complaints from the public on Zesa
payment platforms. On Thursday I will have a discussion with them on the
matter,” he tweeted then.
ZETDC last month also issued a statement that its systems
were overwhelmed by the high volumes of users purchasing tokens on the first
few days of the month, due to the misconception that tokens are cheaper on the
first day of the month.
“ZETDC advises that delays being experienced by customers
are due to high volumes of token purchases during the beginning of the month
and are putting pressure on the system, the position that we are in the process
of addressing,” read the statement.
“ZETDC further advises customers that the lifeline tariff
is enjoyed once a month when they make the first token purchase of units any
day during any calendar month, therefore it is not true that electricity is
cheaper when purchases are done within the first five days of the month.” Chronicle
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