Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has reportedly paid only $400 000 of the $9,2 million it owes the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) which caused disconnection of power to the municipality’s three strategic offices in January this year.
The local authority had paid the $400 000 hoping that the payment would persuade the power utility to restore electricity to the City Hall, Revenue Hall and Tower Block but Zesa feels the amount is little.
Although BCC financial director Kempton Ndimande could not be reached for comment on Monday council sources said the local authority was making frantic efforts to raise a substantial amount that would see power being restored to its City, Revenue and Tower Block halls.
“Two payments have been made so far amounting to about $400 000, but Zesa feels the figure is too little given the total amount owed. Strenuous efforts are being made to raise a figure that would satisfy the power utility,” said the official without saying exactly how much Zesa wanted before switching on power.
“The other problem is that revenue collection is fluctuating these days, making it difficult to say exactly when we will be approaching Zesa with another payment, but it has to be soon,” he said.
The local authority had resorted to petrol-powered generators to power its buildings in the absence of electricity but the method has proved too costly for the cash-strapped council.
On January 17, Zesa disconnected power supplies to three of council’s strategic buildings in a bid to force the municipality to pay its debt or at least a substantial part of it.
Previous talks between the BCC and Zesa over the debt collapsed after the latter rejected the local authority’s payment plan.
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Zesa spokesperson Fullard Gwasira confirmed the development, but could not be drawn to comment on when power would be restored.
