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Mangoma slams ZETDC over US$25 inspection fee
17 hrs ago | Views
Former Energy Minister Elton Mangoma has criticised the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) over its new policy requiring consumers to pay a US$25 fee for mandatory inspections of electrical installations, describing the move as an admission of past failure and poor prioritisation.
ZETDC recently announced the inspection fees for residential, commercial and industrial electrical systems, claiming the initiative is aimed at improving user safety and ensuring compliance with national standards. However, critics argue that the programme is more about revenue collection than genuine safety concerns, with projections suggesting the power utility could rake in over US$10 million from the exercise.
Mangoma, who served as Energy and Power Development Minister during the 2009–2013 inclusive government, questioned the rationale behind the inspections, noting that consumers are only connected after ZETDC has already approved installations.
"This is unfortunate because this is an admission that the power utility did not do a good job at the first instance," Mangoma said. "You can only get connected when an inspection by ZETDC approves your installation, so what are we saying here? This is not even a priority. The key issue now is supplying power."
He added that during his tenure there were between 300,000 and 400,000 connected homes across the country, and placing an additional financial burden on those consumers through inspection fees was unjustified. "There are several blueprints that have not been implemented or followed up and literally, there is no light at the end of the tunnel," he said.
According to ZETDC's public notice, a US$25 fee will be charged for general inspections and re-inspections of household electrical setups. Generator owners will also face charges based on the capacity and type of their generators - US$5 for those below 100kW and US$50 for those above that threshold. The utility is also proposing "advanced safety inspection" fees for smaller generators.
The announcement has sparked widespread criticism, with several stakeholders accusing ZETDC of extortion and failing to prioritise more pressing issues like addressing the ongoing power shortages that continue to affect households and industries alike.
Efforts to obtain comment from ZETDC stakeholder relations executive Alaina Suliwa were unsuccessful as she did not respond to questions sent to her.
The move by ZETDC comes at a time when many Zimbabweans are already struggling with the high cost of living, frequent power outages, and limited access to reliable electricity.
ZETDC recently announced the inspection fees for residential, commercial and industrial electrical systems, claiming the initiative is aimed at improving user safety and ensuring compliance with national standards. However, critics argue that the programme is more about revenue collection than genuine safety concerns, with projections suggesting the power utility could rake in over US$10 million from the exercise.
Mangoma, who served as Energy and Power Development Minister during the 2009–2013 inclusive government, questioned the rationale behind the inspections, noting that consumers are only connected after ZETDC has already approved installations.
"This is unfortunate because this is an admission that the power utility did not do a good job at the first instance," Mangoma said. "You can only get connected when an inspection by ZETDC approves your installation, so what are we saying here? This is not even a priority. The key issue now is supplying power."
He added that during his tenure there were between 300,000 and 400,000 connected homes across the country, and placing an additional financial burden on those consumers through inspection fees was unjustified. "There are several blueprints that have not been implemented or followed up and literally, there is no light at the end of the tunnel," he said.
According to ZETDC's public notice, a US$25 fee will be charged for general inspections and re-inspections of household electrical setups. Generator owners will also face charges based on the capacity and type of their generators - US$5 for those below 100kW and US$50 for those above that threshold. The utility is also proposing "advanced safety inspection" fees for smaller generators.
The announcement has sparked widespread criticism, with several stakeholders accusing ZETDC of extortion and failing to prioritise more pressing issues like addressing the ongoing power shortages that continue to affect households and industries alike.
Efforts to obtain comment from ZETDC stakeholder relations executive Alaina Suliwa were unsuccessful as she did not respond to questions sent to her.
The move by ZETDC comes at a time when many Zimbabweans are already struggling with the high cost of living, frequent power outages, and limited access to reliable electricity.
Source - newsday
