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Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
PARTS of Chimanimani District have been left in the dark for months owing to vandalism of Zesa infrastructure, The Manica Post has established.
This comes amid revelations that the power utility has lost US$1,5 million as a result of destruction or theft of electricity distribution implements across the country.
A recent visit to Chimanimani revealed that the rampant vandalism and theft of electricity distribution implements that include copper conductor, aluminium conductor, copper cables, transformers, transformer oil, wood poles, angle irons, bolts and nuts, has taken its toll on a district that is still on a recovery path following the devastating Cyclone Idai of 2019.
Affected areas include The Village in Ward 15, Nhedziwa (Ward Four), Cashel (Ward One), Mhakwe (Ward 18), Machongwe (Ward 13) and Bumba (Ward Seven).
Some health, education and social amenity facilities have become dysfunctional due to the lengthy absence of power.
Responding to questions emailed by The Manica Post, Zesa confirmed that there is rampant vandalism and theft of infrastructure in Chimanimani.
During the first quarter of this year, in Chimanimani District alone, total of 12 cases of vandalism and theft of Zesa infrastructure were reported, with a total value of US$40 787 being lost.
Zesa also confirmed that 535 cases of infrastructure vandalism or theft, with a total cost of US$1 545 067, were reported during the first quarter of this year countrywide.
Property worth US$113 063 was recovered, constituting 14 percent recovery.
A total of 89 arrests were made and of those, only 19 were convicted.
Zesa is subdivided into five regions, namely Harare, Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western.
In the Eastern Region which covers Manicaland, 77 cases of vandalism or theft of ZETDC implements were reported, with a total value of US$172 188.
Only 13 arrests were made. However, only two cases resulted in convictions.
Property valued at US$5 990 was recovered.
A statement from Zesa reads: “Strategic stakeholder engagement remains a critical and fundamental element in the fight against the scourge of vandalism and theft of national infrastructure.
“The community and business have a moral obligation to jealously safeguard electricity infrastructure form vandalism. Vandalism disadvantages community, essential services and business due to black-outs, unbudgeted increased cost of manufactured final products, loss of revenue, increased replacement costs and retardation of network expansion growth.”
In its statement, the country’s power utility also noted that there are other strategies that are being employed to combat theft and vandalism of infrastructure.
“Other strategies being implemented include, among others, target hardening through tacking, target removal, target relocation, joint patrols with securocrats and technological security systems (drones and alarm system),” reads part of the statement.
The power utility said six people were electrocuted while trying to steal or vandalise electricity infrastructure.
Inside jobs have often been suspected in incidences of Zesa infrastructure theft or vandalism.
The power utility told The Manica Post that in 2021, two cases involving its staff members were dealt with before the courts, adding that none have been reported this year.
Secretary for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mr Edgars Seenza said measures need to be put in place to deal with the scourge.
“We are saddened by the high level of vandalism of transformers, especially in Chimanimani, where some parts of the district are experiencing lengthy periods of power outages. Security measures have to be put in place,” said Mr Seenza.
A statement from the Chimanimani District Development Coordinator’s Office reads: “Affected communities have been in darkness for many months, if not years. In some cases, they say the affected communities have to fork out their own money in order to buy stolen or vandalised items, which in most cases is beyond the reach of many.
‘‘Zesa has to put in place measures to protect electricity cables and transformers.”
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