ZESA condemns over 1 000 houses in Bulawayo

ZESA Holdings has condemned more than 1 000 houses in Bulawayo for "dangerous" wiring that could lead to fires that damage household property, and electrocution.

The power utility immediately disconnected electricity to more than 200 of the houses because it considered them extremely dangerous to occupants.

The development comes amid revelations that residents lose thousands of dollars worth of property in the city every year due to fires that are caused by faulty wiring and installations at their homes.

An insurance broker in the city yesterday said in a majority of cases where such fires destroy property, homeowners fail to get compensation from insurance companies because they were  considered to have been negligent by not ensuring that the electric wiring in their houses was up to standard.
Residents, mostly from the eastern suburbs, yesterday said the power utility had served them with notices to completely re-wire their houses.

"I am a tenant in North End suburb. The owner of the house is based in the UK. We were recently visited by Zesa inspectors who condemned the house and left a list of faults to be fixed," said Mr Isaac Moyo.

He said an electrician had given a quote of $985 to completely re-wire the house and attend to the faults.

"The problem is that the owner of the house is unco-operative. He accused me of inviting the inspectors to cause trouble for him and has said if I cannot solve the problem through whatever means I thought

necessary, I should look for alternative accommodation," said Mr Moyo.
He said he had no choice but to find another house to rent because he was concerned about the wellbeing of his family.

A resident from Morningside suburb who had power disconnected over the matter said Zesa inspectors told her that she would not be reconnected if she did not fix all the problems that they listed.

"They left a long list of defects to be corrected in writing. They said the house would be re-inspected to check for conformity, after the repairs.

The inspectors said I would only have power restored when they are satisfied that my house complies with safety requirements. I do not know where I will get the money because the list is very long," said the resident who asked not to be named.

A number of residents said Zesa inspectors revealed that a majority of houses in the eastern areas and old suburbs in the city failed to meet the set standards for safety.

"The inspectors disconnected power to my home in Riverside.

They said most of the houses in suburbs that include Montrose, Riverside, North End, Waterford and Trenance had been condemned.

They said the wiring in most of the houses was done in the 70s and had become dangerous," said Mrs Sifiso Moyo of Riverside.

An employee at the power utility said most of the houses that were found with faulty wiring in the western suburbs had been wired by unqualified electricians.

"People try to cut costs by hiring 'bush' electricians who often charge less. What they do not know is that they would be exposing their families to dangers that include electrocution and destruction of property. Electricity is very dangerous because the damage it does usually occurs in an instant and is therefore often difficult to counteract.

The only solution is to get the wiring right from the beginning. It costs less in the long run," said the employee who declined to be named.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Zesa spokesperson Mr Fullard Gwasira said the power utility inspected 17 325 Bulawayo houses in a recent exercise.

"A total of 1 054 house installations were condemned, having failed to meet minimum safety requirements. Over 200 of them were left immediately disconnected," said Mr Gwasira.

He said common installation faults included broken earth connections, unsound earthing, parts (especially water pipes) not bonded to earth, unsafe wiring extensions, bypassed meters, meters that have been tampered with, bypassed load limiters, illegal connections, intentional and/or inherent dangerous wiring.

Mr Gwasira encouraged consumers to have their wiring checked by qualified Zesa inspectors to avoid loss of property and lives.

"Zesa advises customers at fairs, in schools, resident association meetings of the need to have houses inspected by competent electricians and general upkeep of their installations.

It is the responsibility of the property owner to ensure that the electrical installation is safe.

Those not sure can request Zesa to inspect their houses anytime they may wish. When an installation is unsafe it becomes a risk to the electrical gadgets connected to it and the users," said Mr Gwasira.

He said Zesa inspectors usually checked installations at houses after every six years to ensure that they conformed to minimum safety standards.