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Now, he is able to control his electricity consumption and his bill is $10 a month.
“I am now certain that I use the electricity that I need. I live alone and $10 is enough for my electricity a month,” he said.
Zesa is phasing out the old power meters, replacing them with the Cash Power prepaid meters.
The smart meters are set to overhaul Zesa’s shambolic billing system through accurate reading and pay-as-you-consume costing.
The current billing system was based on estimates, a situation that has seen some consumers refusing to settle their bills arguing that their meters are never checked.
Pre-paid meters have recently been installed in many suburbs in Bulawayo including Luveve, Cowdray Park, Thorngrove, Mahatshula and Paddonhurst.
Zesa contracted a South African company, Landis and Gear and four other companies to supply the meters. Consumers say the introduction of prepaid meters was long overdue as they said Zesa did not have the capacity to read meters and bill them correctly. So the ongoing programme to install pre-paid meters could bring a sigh of relief to many people as they would have control over their bills. Pre-paid meters enable customers like Mr Khaba to manage their electricity consumption, thereby controlling their expenditure and encourage consumers to conserve power as they will be required to pay in advance for it.
The new system involves “juicing up” electricity meters in almost the same manner as is done when topping up air time for cellphone services.
Under the pre-paid metering system, customers would buy electricity units from Zesa. The system is different from the present one where Zesa bills customers for a month’s consumption.
The power company says it struggles to collect revenue from its customers who are defaulting. It is understood that around 82 percent pay their monthly bill, a situation that has seen Zesa Holdings being owed more than $449 million.
Mr Bongani Ncube, of Mahatshula said with the new system, he would be able to pay the exact amount of money for the electricity he uses unlike the amounts based on estimates he was paying over the years.
“I am always at work and only come in the evening and mainly the fridge will be on but surprisingly I pay too much money given that I hardly cook.
“For the past few months I have been sent bills based on estimates which ranged between $45 to $55 a month.”
He said the system would encourage consumers to conserve power as they will be required to pay in advance for electricity.
Mr Ntokozo Tshuma said: “I have been using this meter for almost two months now, and the benefits are numerous such as no more inaccurate power bills, extremely improved management of your power consumption and no more strangers coming into your home monthly to get your meter readings.
“These developments are all good but there’s one main problem, the payment method. If electricity units are finished it means for the whole weekend we do not have electricity since the company is closed during the weekends,” he said.
Some residents are convinced that the power utility wants to use the new system to force them to pay outstanding bills.
Mrs Agnes Nyawo said the prepaid meters are a way that Zesa is using to make customers pay by force so that they can clear their debts.
“Prepaid meters are a trap to residents who owe the power utility disputed bills, as Zesa has not said how they wish to recover the debts, arrived at without accurate meter readings.
“They are attempting to cover up for their corruption. Before prepaid meters, Zesa should first calculate the exact amounts that residents owe, once they are correct they begin accurate meter readings,” she said.
A resident only identified as Ms Dube said the company was forcing them to pay up their bills and defying a government directive. Energy and Power Development Minister, Elton Mangoma recently said if a consumer gets a pre-paid meter installed at their property, 20 percent of the money they later spend “juicing up” goes to retiring the old debt.
“Instead of the company taking 20 percent from the money we pay for the pre-paid meters they now force us to make payment plans before we start paying for the meters.
“Officials at the office say that if we fail to agree on payment plans then we cannot top up our meters. I was told to pay $100 a month according to the payment plan, as they refused smaller amounts saying my debt was too much,” she said.
Minister Mangoma reassured Zesa customers that they will not be switched off. But he said their debt will be incorporated under the pre-paid meter scheme.
He said that all those who were disconnected for non-payment can now be connected to prepaid meters without making a down-payment for the reconnection fee, while 20 percent of the money used to buy electricity will be applied towards the reduction of the debt until it is fully paid.
Minister Mangoma said a change in usage habits could result in up to 20 percent saving of power, which could result in a national saving of about 120 megawatts at peak.
However some residents who went to the offices recently said the company still does not abide by what the minister said. They said Zesa officials insist that they have not received official orders from their management.
The country has had a huge power deficit since 2005 because of a number of factors such as its failure to raise enough money to import electricity, failure to expand local generating capacity and old infrastructure. This was worsened by the failure of residents to settle their bills on time. As a result, power cuts are now the norm.
Londile Moyo
Online Reporter