Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) could see more of its facilities being disconnected from electricity as the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) moves into the final phase of rolling out prepaid meters to all service points.
This comes amid revelations that the local authority owes the power utility over ZWG332 million, which they have failed to pay despite repeated warnings and meetings.
ZETDC is rolling out prepaid metres across all points with less than 100 Amps, including essential service points, in a bid to curb revenue losses and improve efficiency.
As a result, Bulawayo motorists have, for the past few weeks, been exposed to heightened risks on the roads in the city after ZETDC turned off several critical traffic lights.
In a letter seen by Zimpapers, dated May 28, 2025, addressed to the Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube, ZETDC Western Region reminded the council of its outstanding balance and urged prompt payment.
The letter also outlined the impending prepaid metre installation, which will see all accounts, including Maximum Demand (MD) points transition to a prepayment system.
Once installed, the metres will come pre-loaded with a limited number of units (50 for single-phase, 200 for three-phase), after which the council must clear its debt before registration and further token purchases.
“We write to advise you that we are in the final phase of our prepaid meter installation project. This initiative involves retrofitting all points with less than 100 Amps, including sensitive and essential service points.
“We would also like to remind you that your current outstanding balance has reached ZWG332 965 160. We strongly advise you to settle this amount promptly as we will be transitioning to a prepayment system for all accounts, including Maximum Demand (MD) points,” reads the letter.
The installation of prepaid metres is part of ZETDC’s broader strategy to modernise the electricity distribution system and reduce non-payment.
Responding to queries on the status of traffic lights last week, the council’s corporate communications manager, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said while the power utility had since last year been effecting the prepayment system on the traffic lights, council was not privy to the programme.
She said as such, council had no information regarding which traffic lights were being introduced to the system.
Mrs Mpofu said the city’s traffic lights are classified as electrical loads and like any other powered infrastructure, require electricity to function.
She said the traffic lights are therefore subject to standard billing by ZETDC.
“The City of Bulawayo was made aware of the exercise in 2024 of converting traffic lights and street lights from conventional meters to prepaid metering. The City, however, does not have a programme of works or schedule of the areas where ZETDC is working on, to speedily attend to the registration and facilitate the electricity tokens.
“For the affected areas Council has done the necessary procedures for registration of these new prepaid meters and is awaiting submission of invoices by ZETDC to facilitate payment and electricity tokens,” said Mrs Mpofu.
She revealed that to keep a set of traffic lights operational, approximately ZWG3 000 per month is required per intersection. —@nyeve14
Londile Moyo