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ZLHR forces ZESA to compensate minors US$66 000 over gross negligence
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State‑run ZESA Holdings has been ordered to pay more than US$60 000 in compensation to two minors who suffered severe electrical burns after coming into contact with low‑hanging power cables due to what the courts found to be gross negligence by its employees.
Bulawayo High Court judges Justice Evangelista Kabasa and Justice Dube recently ruled that the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), a subsidiary of ZESA, must compensate the two boys, aged 11 and 14, both from Mangwe in Matabeleland South.
The minors, represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) lawyer Prisca Dube, were electrocuted on 18 May 2022 after encountering dangerously low‑hanging electricity cables. The 11‑year‑old’s parents approached ZLHR for assistance, and on 14 August 2024, summons were filed at the Bulawayo High Court seeking damages.
ZETDC denied liability on 16 September 2024, arguing that the claim was excessive. However, on 15 January 2026, Justice Dube ordered the power utility to pay US$50 000 in damages within two months.
In the case of the 14‑year‑old, the minor was first treated at St Anne’s Hospital in Brunapeg before being transferred to United Bulawayo Hospitals, where he underwent surgery on his right arm and was assessed to have a 32% disability. ZLHR filed summons on 8 August 2024, demanding US$52 000 in compensation.
ZETDC again denied liability, but on 14 January 2026, the utility offered US$16 000, stating this was the maximum amount covered by its insurance policy. The offer was accepted by the minor’s parents, and on 22 January 2026, Justice Kabasa ordered ZETDC to pay the amount within 60 days.
ZLHR said it assisted the minors as part of its anti‑impunity work aimed at fostering accountability within state‑run institutions and deterring human rights violations. The organisation noted that it has handled similar cases for decades, securing damages for victims of ZESA’s negligence.
Bulawayo High Court judges Justice Evangelista Kabasa and Justice Dube recently ruled that the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), a subsidiary of ZESA, must compensate the two boys, aged 11 and 14, both from Mangwe in Matabeleland South.
The minors, represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) lawyer Prisca Dube, were electrocuted on 18 May 2022 after encountering dangerously low‑hanging electricity cables. The 11‑year‑old’s parents approached ZLHR for assistance, and on 14 August 2024, summons were filed at the Bulawayo High Court seeking damages.
ZETDC denied liability on 16 September 2024, arguing that the claim was excessive. However, on 15 January 2026, Justice Dube ordered the power utility to pay US$50 000 in damages within two months.
In the case of the 14‑year‑old, the minor was first treated at St Anne’s Hospital in Brunapeg before being transferred to United Bulawayo Hospitals, where he underwent surgery on his right arm and was assessed to have a 32% disability. ZLHR filed summons on 8 August 2024, demanding US$52 000 in compensation.
ZETDC again denied liability, but on 14 January 2026, the utility offered US$16 000, stating this was the maximum amount covered by its insurance policy. The offer was accepted by the minor’s parents, and on 22 January 2026, Justice Kabasa ordered ZETDC to pay the amount within 60 days.
ZLHR said it assisted the minors as part of its anti‑impunity work aimed at fostering accountability within state‑run institutions and deterring human rights violations. The organisation noted that it has handled similar cases for decades, securing damages for victims of ZESA’s negligence.
Source - Byo24news
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