PUMULA South (Phase 2) and Emganwini residents have accused Zesa of failing to connect their properties to the national electricity grid eight years after the suburbs were commissioned.
Report by Pamela Mhlanga, Own Correspondent
The residents claimed they had remained unconnected although they paid for the service over three years ago.
“The Zesa authorities have to make sure that they distribute the available electricity in the country fairly among residents as electricity is a necessity for all in a modern society,” Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association co-ordinator Rodrick Fayayo said.
But Zesa spokesperson Fullard Gwasira said efforts to light up the suburbs were being frustrated by financial challenges and vandalism of infrastructure.
“Zesa is currently in the process of planning to electrify the area and some other areas that are facing similar situations, but the challenges that have affected a high rate of expansion of electricity is that Zesa has more than $600 million revenue of unpaid bills because the customers are not paying their bills so we need millions of cash,” he said.
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“We are also faced with high rates of vandalism and criminals stealing infrastructure that would have been put up for electricity.”