The SMEs said they have been crippled by the electricity
power cuts that last about 18 hours a day — a negative development that affects
their operations. Many of the SMEs have been trying to make ends meet through
offering services such as typing, printing, photocopying and scanning.
Others are into welding, upholstery, small grinding mills
and hair salons which have all been affected by load shedding.
The ZETDC says the market should expect a steady supply of
electricity in the second-half of the year when the Hwange Thermal Power
Station units 7 and 8 would have been commissioned to inject a combined 600
megawatts into the national grid. Amid improved water inflows into Lake Kariba,
which have started impacting positively on hydroelectricity output, the period
to the year 2024 is forecast to be a safe zone in terms of power supply.
By the end of next year, Hwange stage 1 and 2 life
extension is projected to add a further 400 megawatts to the national grid.
This comes as the industry continues to call for guaranteed or predictable
energy supply to ensure proper planning of their operations to minimise the
negative impact of unexpected or unscheduled power outages on business.
However, the new load shedding schedule has seen suburbs
such as Mkoba, Mtapa, Ascot, Senga and Mambo where most of the SMEs are
located, being the most affected. The SMEs are popular for making steel
products such as sliding gates, door and window frames, beds as well as TV
stands among other things. There are also those who are into sewing and those
who sell chickens to eke a living.
Mrs Shelia Moyo (28) who operates a sewing business from
Mkoba 10 shopping centre said she now comes to work at 10PM and works on her
orders until 5AM. She said she was forced to rethink her business working hours
and confine herself to the hours when electricity will be available at night.
“I open the shop around 1PM to 4PM where I will be cutting
and designing using a pair of scissors before I go back home. Around 9.30PM, I
come back to the shop and start sewing from 10PM when power is restored until
5AM when power is cut. That’s how I am able to make some money but it’s
different because the number of clients has dwindled,” said Mrs Moyo, who is a
mother of two children.
Mr Samuel Mutsekiwa (40) who specialises in welding at
Mkoba 6 shopping centre said he once tried using a generator to power his
machines but realised that it wasn’t viable.
“I tried using a generator to operate my welding machine
and grinder but the cost of fuel which was too much for me made me abandon that
idea,” he said.
Mr Mutsekiwa said he is now working at night when there is
power.
“I started working in the evening like other SMEs because
we have no resources to power the generators. This shopping centre used to be a
hive of activity during the day but that is now changing to the evening when we
have power,” he said.
Mr Tarisai Sipambi (34) who runs butcheries in Mkoba suburb
said he lost a lot of money as the meat was rotting in fridges due to power
shortages.
“The rate at which the power cuts are occurring is too
much. In our trade, we need a constant supply of electricity. If there is no
electricity, there is no backup plan. I lost a lot of revenue when meat went
bad in the fridges. As you know, the meat is supposed to be kept under cool
temperatures and when there is no power there is nothing we can do but count
our losses,” he said.
Mr Sipambi said he is also forced to come at night to cut
and grade meat for sale to clients.
“The moment we get electricity back, I have to rush and
open for the butcher to cut and grade the meat. Because of these power outages,
we have since changed our way of life,” he said.
Mr Sipambi said he is hoping that there is increased power
generation in the country so that the ZETDC does away with load shedding. The
relentless power cuts are not only affecting how businesses operate but they
are also affecting residents.
“We are forced to wake up at 10PM and do ironing of school
uniforms and other clothes, failure to which the children will wear un-ironed
uniforms,” said Ms Tariro Shoko (28) from Mkoba 3 suburb.
She said she also bakes scones and cakes in the evening
when there is power. Ms Ayanda Solani (20) a second-year Accounting student at
the Midlands State University (MSU) said the power crisis, which has seen Senga
suburb where she rents a room plunged into darkness, has affected her studies.
“Some of us want to study around 4AM after resting a bit.
But before we get into the groove, we experience load shedding. Normally when
there is load shedding, network connectivity is affected and without network,
we can’t research online,” she said.
Mr Tafadzwa Mazorodze from the Zimbabwe Chamber of SMEs
said the country has been facing extensive power cuts which have adversely
affected business operations. Sunday News
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