The Sunday News
Peter Matika, Senior Reporter
POWER company, Zesa has lost more than US$2 million since the beginning of the year due to constant theft and vandalism of infrastructure.
Zesa public relations manager Mr Fullard Gwasira said the theft and vandalism of the infrastructure was crippling the parastatal operations.
“We have lost more than US$2 million so far in terms of infrastructure. Last year we lost US$4,8 million. Therefore it becomes difficult to operate.
“There are developing neighbourhoods that need to be connected and there are delays in this due to theft and vandalism of property.
“Zesa is constantly repairing and replacing stolen infrastructure,” said Mr Gwasira.
He said Zesa had also resolved to substituting copper cables with aluminium, as a way to prevent and hinder thefts.
“Due to these thefts we have had to substitute copper with aluminium. However, it too is being targeted by thieves. This is a great threat to national development and we all need to work together in preventing further theft and vandalism.
“We urge people to report thieves to the nearest police station. These thefts are occurring not just in one city but across the country,” said Mr Gwasira.
Commenting on allegations of some Zesa employees being implicated in thefts, Mr Gwasira said they could not be totally exonerated but if they were involved, they would be prosecuted.
“The issue of unemployment is a major cause for concern. We have educated vandals and you find that they know how to steal these cables without being harmed,” he said.
However, the rampant theft and vandalism of Zesa infrastructure has resulted in some areas going for months without electricity, affecting various projects and urban farmers.
“There are rampant thefts and when we report these cases to Zesa we are shown a long list of areas and people affected by thefts. We are told to be on a waiting list because they don’t have material. How then are we supposed to function? Zesa should have adequate stocks of supplies,” said a Mr Mpofu from Kensington in Bulawayo.
“Some of us practice horticulture and have lost thousands in dollars because our systems use electricity. Imagine those that take medicine and their medicines require to be kept at a certain temperature. Those are losses not just in money but lives. Zesa is failing to restore electricity and it would appear this is beyond their control.”
@peterkmatika
