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Michael Tome
HARARE – The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has wanred unscrupulous licensed fuel service stations around the country that may be contributing to artificial shortages of petrol and diesel in the country.
This comes in the wake of fuel queues and unusual buying patterns (hoarding) that has emerged from last week in Harare’s Central Business District and surrounding areas.
ZERA has however issued a stern warning against hoarding fuel for resale or stocking for resale at higher prices that are not fixed by the regulatory authority.
“It has come to the attention of the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority that some petroleum licensees are deliberately hoarding or limiting supplies to consumers for speculation purposes.
“Isolated cases of service stations charging fuel prices that are above the regulated threshold have also come to ZERA’s attention,” said the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority .
Warning against the perpetrators of mischievous business practice has been issued and service stations risk losing their operating licenses.
“Petroleum licensees are hereby warned to cease and desist from such criminal activities as they risk prosecution and cancelation of their licenses.
“Such actions are in violation of the petroleum (fuel pricing) (amendment) regulations 2015 published in Statutory instrument 20 of 2015 which prohibits the withholding of petroleum products for speculative purposes and charging fuel prices that are beyond the prescribed limits,” said ZERA.
Bongani Ndlovu