News / Local
Zesa electricity disconnection official assaulted, ZRP engaged
27 Dec 2011 at 14:16hrs | Views
ZESA has reportedly engaged the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to beef up security of its teams which are disconnecting electricity supplies to defaulting residents in Bulawayo.
This was after a Mpopoma resident allegedly assaulted a Zesa official involved in the exercise last week. The power utility allegedly retaliated by disconnecting power to all residents at the block of flats where the official was allegedly assaulted. Residents whose accounts were not in arrears also had power disconnected. It is believed that Zesa officials said power would not be restored until the culprit was identified.
This comes at a time when Bulawayo residents have raised concern over the power utility's billing system. They say the system is inaccurate thus coming up with high bills which residents are struggling to pay off.
Residents accuse Zesa of having "robbed" them of thousands of dollars since dollarisation in 2009, through faulty billing. Thousands of clients have been disconnected in the city for not paying their bills over the past two weeks.
Residents said police officers started escorting Zesa disconnection teams on Sunday last week, after the Mpopoma assault of the Zesa official.
"The Zesa employee was beaten up after giving a letter of disconnection to a property owner at a flat near Mashasha Beer Garden.
"The employee ran for his life and went to Mpopoma Police Station where he made a report. He later resurfaced with armed police officers who searched for the culprit and helped him to continue disconnecting power for other residents," said a resident.
When Chronicle visited the area, the block of flats was still in darkness because the residents had allegedly refused to identify the person who had beaten up the Zesa employee or did not know the alleged assailant.
A resident who preferred anonymity said they now led a miserable life because they were suffering for that person who assaulted a Zesa employee.
"Please do not publish my name because these Zesa people can make life more difficult for me. As we speak we have gone four days without power because the guy who beat up the Zesa employee was seen getting into one of these flats," she said.
She said the whole block of flats had no power because the employee had rushed to disconnect power at the electricity pole that serviced the flats.
"Umuntu owatshaya ubaba weZesa wabalekela ngapha emaflatini ethu. Abuya amapholisa azama ukumdinga bathe sebehlulekile sacitshelwa amagetsi ngubaba owatshaywayo esitshela ukuthi nxa sesifuna amagetsi sizamveza lowo owamtshayayo.
"Some of us have cleared our accounts but because we stay near the person who did this we have suffered as well," she said.
Another resident, who identified himself as Mr Wusavi said he was disappointed as he had received a bill addressed to a Mr T Dube whom he does not know.
"These people are getting away with murder because they harassed my family and disconnected power in my house saying I was Mr T Dube who owed them $469," said.
In the statement that Chronicle is in possession of, Zesa claimed that Mr Wusavi who was addressed as Mr T Dube used 7, 5 amps of electricity and owed the power utility $479 inclusive of the reconnection fee.
This was after a Mpopoma resident allegedly assaulted a Zesa official involved in the exercise last week. The power utility allegedly retaliated by disconnecting power to all residents at the block of flats where the official was allegedly assaulted. Residents whose accounts were not in arrears also had power disconnected. It is believed that Zesa officials said power would not be restored until the culprit was identified.
This comes at a time when Bulawayo residents have raised concern over the power utility's billing system. They say the system is inaccurate thus coming up with high bills which residents are struggling to pay off.
Residents accuse Zesa of having "robbed" them of thousands of dollars since dollarisation in 2009, through faulty billing. Thousands of clients have been disconnected in the city for not paying their bills over the past two weeks.
Residents said police officers started escorting Zesa disconnection teams on Sunday last week, after the Mpopoma assault of the Zesa official.
"The Zesa employee was beaten up after giving a letter of disconnection to a property owner at a flat near Mashasha Beer Garden.
"The employee ran for his life and went to Mpopoma Police Station where he made a report. He later resurfaced with armed police officers who searched for the culprit and helped him to continue disconnecting power for other residents," said a resident.
When Chronicle visited the area, the block of flats was still in darkness because the residents had allegedly refused to identify the person who had beaten up the Zesa employee or did not know the alleged assailant.
A resident who preferred anonymity said they now led a miserable life because they were suffering for that person who assaulted a Zesa employee.
"Please do not publish my name because these Zesa people can make life more difficult for me. As we speak we have gone four days without power because the guy who beat up the Zesa employee was seen getting into one of these flats," she said.
She said the whole block of flats had no power because the employee had rushed to disconnect power at the electricity pole that serviced the flats.
"Umuntu owatshaya ubaba weZesa wabalekela ngapha emaflatini ethu. Abuya amapholisa azama ukumdinga bathe sebehlulekile sacitshelwa amagetsi ngubaba owatshaywayo esitshela ukuthi nxa sesifuna amagetsi sizamveza lowo owamtshayayo.
"Some of us have cleared our accounts but because we stay near the person who did this we have suffered as well," she said.
Another resident, who identified himself as Mr Wusavi said he was disappointed as he had received a bill addressed to a Mr T Dube whom he does not know.
"These people are getting away with murder because they harassed my family and disconnected power in my house saying I was Mr T Dube who owed them $469," said.
In the statement that Chronicle is in possession of, Zesa claimed that Mr Wusavi who was addressed as Mr T Dube used 7, 5 amps of electricity and owed the power utility $479 inclusive of the reconnection fee.
Source - Byo
