ZESA announces major power cuts

The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has announced that there is a major power supply failure at Hwange Thermal Power Station and consumers must be braced for a long power cut of electricity.

According to a statement issued on National Radio ZESA advices that the country must brace itself for long hours of darkness following a break down at Hwange caused by failure on imported electricity.

"Consumers must expected extended power cuts outside their normal load shedding schedule due to a fault at Hwange Power Station this morning" said the statement.

At the time of making the announcement most areas of Matebeleland North, Bulawayo Matebeleland South and Midlands were already in their third hour with no electricity.

The new Minister of Energy and Power Development Dzikamai Mavhaire recently made an assurance that long power cuts would be a thing of the past. However, since the statement was made there has not been any meaningful difference in the power cuts resulting in the populace calling the Minister Dzimai which Shona for switch off.

People interviewed for a comment generally did not buy any of ZESA's apologies saying it is just norm that 50% of the time they have no electricity and they have adjusted accordingly.

"Ahhh what apology is ZESA giving? They must just switch off without saying anything as usual. We know there is no electricity in Zimbabwe and the day we have it for more than 24 hours we really get surprised and think something has gone wrong at ZESA. Instead that's when they must apologise when they provide continuous electricity for more than 24 hrs." Said Thulani Nkosi Ndlovu of Nkulumane Bulawayo.

Ndlovu's sentiments were complimented by Mr David Ncube of Cowdry Park who said having electricity is a bonus not a norm. "Go and ask ZESA if anybody really cares about their apology. We know the statement is a cover up to an election gimmick that electricity won't be switched off anymore."

Zimbabwe's electricity problem has never been resolved since 1999 when the first incidences of load shedding were introduced. At the introduction of the multi currency system and demonitisation of the Zimbabwen Dollar most parastatals gradually came back to life from the economic slump of the Zim dollar, but ZESA remains in the doldrums. ZESA's problems are surprising as the power utility regularly gets massive cash injections from government and they continuous tariff increases sometimes three times in a single year.