Online Reporter
Mthokozisi Ncube
“I did not even receive a simple apology from Zesa. Nothing was said to me.”
These are the words of a teacher from Nkayi who lost all her belongings after her cottage was destroyed by fire following a fault attributed to the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa).
Netsayi Manyenga, the teacher at Manomano Primary School whose home was reduced to ashes on 13 September 2025 said she is wallowing in despair.
The fire reportedly erupted shortly after Zesa technicians visited the school to investigate electricity faults. Manyenga was not present in the cottage at the time.
When the fire started, she and fellow teachers tried to contain the flames, but the fire quickly engulfed the building, destroying property estimated at US$3 500, including clothing, bedding, food, teaching materials, medication, and personal documents such as certificates.
Manyenga reported the incident at Nkayi Police Station on the same day. While Zesa officials visited the site a week later to discuss compensation, she says no meaningful communication or action followed.
“Many Zesa officials have come to inspect the cottage. Sometimes I feel hopeful when I see them, thinking they have come to compensate me, but they just look around and leave without saying anything,” Manyenga said.
The incident has drawn the attention of the Educators Union of Zimbabwe (EUZ), which condemned Zesa for failing to protect one of its members. EUZ Secretary-General Tapedza Zhou described the case as “painful and unacceptable,” warning that if the utility could destroy a teacher’s property without accountability, no educator in Zimbabwe was safe.
Despite investigations by Zesa teams from Kwekwe and Gweru and forensic examinations by the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the utility has yet to compensate Manyenga. The union is preparing legal action to ensure the teacher receives her dues.
“The teacher lost everything in the fire, including vital documents and personal belongings. This is not just a personal tragedy; it’s a national concern,” Zhou said. The union has instructed lawyers to initiate legal proceedings and warned that it would mobilise the public and media to demand justice.
EUZ emphasised that the incident must serve as a turning point to establish national standards protecting teachers from abuse, neglect, and abandonment by State institutions. The union has called for full and immediate compensation, a public explanation from Zesa, decisive action by relevant authorities, and assurance that such negligence will never recur.
Zesa spokesperson Dr George Manyanya said he would look into the matter. In a written statement, the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) said preliminary technical checks had been conducted on the day of the incident, but no maintenance or power restoration was performed.
The utility said investigations could not pinpoint the exact cause of the fire due to the extensive damage. Probable causes include internal wiring faults such as deteriorated insulation, loose connections, or non-functional circuit breakers, or an electrical appliance exploding when power was restored. ZETDC did not rule out non-electrical causes and noted that the presence of flammable furniture and other materials may have accelerated the fire.
ZETDC advised Manyenga to submit claims directly under its Public Liability Policy for assessment by insurers. It also recommended regular inspections of residential installations, upgrading of substandard wiring, and installation of protection devices such as circuit breakers and earth leakage protection, while urging continued electrical safety awareness.
For Manyenga, the wait for justice has been painful. “I lost everything in that fire, including my certificates and personal documents. I now have to start afresh, and it is extremely difficult,” she said.
EUZ has pledged to stand with her until justice is served, warning that the Nkayi case is bigger than a single teacher.
It represents a warning to Zesa and other State institutions that negligence and inaction will not be tolerated, and that educators’ safety, dignity, and property must be protected.
