New measures to ease fuel supply

Debra Matabvu, Harare Bureau
GOVERNMENT and players in the petroleum sector have agreed on a host of measures, in the dealing of the precious commodity, which has been scarce since the end of last year with its trading characterised by some illegalities.

The agreements were reached on Wednesday at a meeting that brought together the Minister of Energy and Power Development, officials from Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) and petroleum sector representatives.

The indaba was triggered by the fuel policy changes introduced last week that saw Government removing a subsidy on fuel imports. Among the measures agreed upon, was the need for an efficient and effective system to co-ordinate the distribution of fuel to ensure it is availed rationally in accordance with demand.

Zera has since been tasked by the parent minister to come up with a comprehensive report mapping and detailing consumer demand trends.

In addition, Government is also looking into introducing an electronic monitoring system for the entire fuel value chain to curb corruption at service stations.

Minister of Energy and Power Development Fortune Chasi said Government was coming up with interventions to help restore sanity in the fuel sector.

Zera acting chief executive officer Mr Eddington Mazambani said they were already taking action to curb hoarding of fuel. He said service stations had been directed to dispense a maximum of 600 litres of fuel to an individual, stop fuelling bowsers and those intending to purchase fuel in jerry cans, will be served at a know-your-customer basis.

“However, these new measures exclude any prior arrangements that had been made between service stations and customers. We are also looking at gaps in the law to see how it can be amended to ensure we have more powers. Zera is also working on setting up real time online monitoring system which will be installed at service stations.”

Zimbabwe has been experiencing fuel shortages over the past few months with some fuel traders accused of channelling the commodity to the black market. Some service stations are allegedly supplying dealers that sell in foreign currency. Foreigners have also been accused of hoarding the commodity and selling it in neighbouring countries.