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Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
LIQUEFIED Petroleum Gas (LPG) retailers have increased prices of the commodity beyond the reach of many amid increased demand of the product owing to the on-going load shedding schedule across the country.
Zimbabwe is battling electricity outages, and the Government has been working round the clock to ensure the current load shedding regime is eased with regional neighbours like South Africa facing the same predicament.
Some households have been having power between 10pm to 5am.
This has seen the demand for alternative sources of energy like LPG increase as the nation struggles to cope with electricity shortage.
A snap survey in Kwekwe revealed a shortage of the commodity and wherever it was still available, it was beyond the reach of many as both illegal and registered retail shops were charging a minimum of US$3 per kilogramme.
Major LPG suppliers like Rockodox and Boc Gas did not have the product leaving the residents stranded.
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) last reviewed the prices of LPG gas in November setting the retail price at US$1,78 per kg.
According to Zera the public should report such unscrupulous retailers.
“Zera always encourages the public to alert it when service providers charge more than the price issued by Zera,” read a recent statement.Retailers should always display stipulated prices.
“Operators are advised to display the prices at their retail outlet in clearly legible letters. Please note that it is permissible to sell LGP at prices below the prescribed prices depending on one’s trading advantages,” further read the statement.
This also comes at a time when unregistered retailers are on the increase thereby flouting Zera trading regulations and posing a danger to the society.
Unlicensed vendors of the highly explosive energy source are selling the commodity without following due licensing procedures.
Zera chief executive officer Mr Edington Mazambani recently raised concern saying the regulatory authority was working with relevant authorities to come up with a Statutory Instrument (SI) which empowers them to pounce on unlicensed vendors to bring normalcy to the energy sector.
“We have noted with concern the proliferation of unlicensed vendors who are setting up stalls and selling LP gas everywhere, especially in the newly established suburbs. These retailers are not following laid down procedures which also include inspection before they start selling the gas,” said Mr Mazambani.
Meanwhile, Zesa Holdings executive chairman Dr Sydney Gata recently announced that efforts to reduce load-shedding considerably are bearing fruit with Zimbabwe soon to get up to 500MW of electricity from Zambia and Mozambique, while Hwange Power Station’s Unit 7 should be feeding 300MW into the grid before the month ends.
Online Reporter