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Business Reporter
The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe and the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries yesterday urged Zesa to clarify its debt relief scheme which will see households getting $160 “debt relief”.While welcoming the gesture, the organisations said Zesa did not specify how the scheme would be implemented.
In a statement, Zesa said following extensive consultations with different stakeholders it would implement a $90 million debt relief for domestic customers.
Customers on prepaid will have their amortised outstanding debt adjusted accordingly while those already on prepaid meter system and without debt would be credited the equivalent amount in units.
As a way of contributing to the general economic recovery, the success of the agrarian reform in general and the new planting season, Zesa said it was implementing debt relief for the farming community to the tune of $80 million targeted at resettled and rural farmers.
For the farming community, the power utility said customers’ bills would be proportionally adjusted and this will reflect on the October 2013 bills.
Zesa said all domestic customers would benefit from debt relief of $160 per household and this amount will also be credited in the October 2013 bills.
“Zesa should be commended for what they have done. It is a very difficult thing to ease payment considering the situation the power utility is operating under. We therefore call upon Zesa to implement the debt relief programme in a transparent manner so that we will not see, going forward, the country being plunged into total darkness.
“It is also important that this should be done in a way that everyone feels the benefit. Although Zesa has not explained to us how it will be implemented, we hope they will explain in the next few days,” said the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe executive director, Ms Rosemary Siyachitema.
However, she said consumers should understand that this was a once off debt relief adding that it was imperative for them to settle outstanding bills so that they did not revert to huge debt overhang.
“It is incumbent upon all people that they need to pay so that they cover outstanding debt and avoid going back to a situation where they will accumulate huge debts,” she said.
The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries chief executive Mr Clifford Sileya said while they appreciate the debt relief by Zesa, the statement that “Customer bills will be proportionally adjusted . . .” was vague and ambiguous.
He called on the power utility to give clarity on the issue. Meanwhile, Zesa has increased fees for new connections by almost 200 percent.
People who want electricity connected to their houses will now pay between about $535 and $635 up from about $180.
The rates apply to new connections in mostly recently completed houses.
Mr Sileya said Zesa needed to explain how it came with the new figures.
“While we need a viable power utility in the country, Zesa also needs to bring their cards on the table and tell us how they came up with such figures,” he said.
No comment could be immediately obtained from Zesa.
Online Reporter