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The amenity has, however, become a cause for concern as various accidents, some of them fatal, have been recorded across Zimbabwe.
Power utility Zesa Holdings has been named as the main culprit for failing to tending to live cables, replacing obsolete equipment or repairing vandalised equipment.
Consumers are not completely blame-free after allegedly making illegal connections leading to such disasters.
An upsurge in electricity-related fires and electrocutions has seen companies and individuals losing thousands of United States dollars worth of property.
An example is a Mufakose family that recently fell victim to a fire suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault.
The fire that gutted the house at No. 44 Jiri Crescent on June 23 left a trail of destruction to the Muhoni family.
Property worth an estimated US$5 000 including a lounge suite, two beds, fridge, clothes and some goods meant for sale was lost in the inferno.
Some of the charred goods still lay in their premises when The Herald visited their home last week.
Residents interviewed all pointed their fingers at Zesa saying the fire was a result of intermittent power cuts during load-shedding.
The house that accommodated a big family of 14 was reduced to a shell.
The roof collapsed during the fire while the walls cracked and gave in to the intense heat.
James Muhoni narrated his family’s ordeal in an emotional interview.
“I was on my way home from the shops where I was playing pool and watching a Fifa Confederations Cup game when Zesa suddenly restored power after load-shedding. I saw a spark that ignited the meter and it suddenly went ablaze.
“My wife and children were sleeping in the house. I ran to rescue them and at the same time the fire was quickly spreading through the electric pipes.
“We escaped with the clothes on our backs and a colleague, Brighton Nobula, came to our rescue. He had his jacket burnt while saving my four-year-old niece Nokutenda,” he said.
Six-year-old Melinda Sofiti, who was badly affected by the smoke from the fire, was sent to Bindura for medical attention.
The Muhoni family said they could not cope with the expenses after the disaster if she were to be treated in Harare.
Breadwinners
The two breadwinners – James Muhoni, who sells charcoal imported from Mozambique, and Mavhuto Muhoni, who is a vendor, say their lives have been ruined by the fire.
As of now, the Muhoni family is surviving on alms from family, friends and other sympathisers, who offered food and clothing.
Neighbours have offered them household utensils while the United Nations Children’s Fund built a temporary shelter for the family.
The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society donated blankets to the family.
Mavhuto says he had no choice but take his two children to Bindura where they will stay with their grandmother.
He said he could no longer afford to fend for them, let alone put a roof over their heads.
“I lost all the money I had saved in the fire and I can no longer afford to fend for myself and my two children so I was forced to send them to my mother.
“It hurts me that I can no longer look after my children and be a better father in this current state,” he said.
This is also the case with James, whose wife Naomi and four children were forced to move in with an uncle in Glen View Extension.
James says it was in his children’s best interest to live in a healthy environment as two of his oldest children are in Form 2 and Grade 3 respectively.
Zesa spokesperson Mr Fullard Gwasira said that the regrettable electrical fault in Mufakose was caused by an internal wiring system at the consumer’s premises.
He said the wiring system did not meet the approved standards of the Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution Company.
Mr Gwasira said ZEDC had inspected houses in the area prior to the incident and condemned the internal wiring at the particular house.
The property owner, according to Mr Gwasira, was advised to engage competent electricians in the interest of safety.
“We would also like to advise all our valued customers that it is not the responsibility of ZEDC to do wiring at their premises, but is only responsible for inspection to ensure that it is done in the manner that does not endanger human lives before electricity is energised.
“Customers are also urged to approach our respective Customer Service Centres countrywide for expert advice to ensure safe usage of electricity.”
Mr Gwasira said the power utility was taking advantage of the prepaid meter installation programme to carry out physical audits to ensure that wiring at customer premises countrywide was done to the required standards.
“Dangerous Connections”
“And in the event that dangerous connections are discovered, electricity is immediately disconnected until corrective measures are taken,” he said.
However, James Muhoni still blamed Zesa for the incident
He complained that Zesa had asked him to write a report which in the past two weeks they were procrastinating to respond to while his family was languishing in poverty.
“Life has become difficult for us since this electric fire and this incident has ruined the family’s strong bond and financial status.
“Our major problem is that we cannot afford a lawyer to pursue the case through legal channels.”
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