Chronicle Editor
Mthabisi Tshuma in Plumtree
ELECTRIFICATION of the country’s former marginalised communities and addressing the backlog of connections is of paramount importance, the power utility Zesa has said.
Officials from Zesa, led by executive chairman Dr Sydney Gata on Friday visited Plumtree town where they held a stakeholders meeting with residents, Government departments, among others to mediate solutions of non electrification of the town and surrounding areas. Plumtree town has 1621 households which require infrastructure and transformers.
The suburbs include Matiwaza Medium Density, Gwakuba Medium Density, Matiwaza Extension Medium Density, Gwakuba High Density Infill, Mathendele High Density Phase 1, Mathendele Extension Phase 1, George Silundika Low Density, Lakeview Infill High Density, Kariba High Density Infill and Plumtree Brooke.
In an interview on the sidelines of the stakeholders meeting, Zesa general manager responsible for stakeholder relations, communications and welfare, Dr George Manyaya, said the power utility was embarking on a nationwide programme to access the lack of electrification.
“The main thrust of the programme was to come here in Matabeleland and as the chairman said we feel like we have let it down and also after being called in by Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu.
The Government has a total electrification programme and the chairman is on the ground to access the level nationwide and in Plumtree it’s a pathetic issue where the nice built houses have no electricity,” said Dr Manyaya.
He said the situation has seen people in Figtree having applied for electricity, but eight years later there are no connections while the equipment is there.
“As Zesa we apologise for that. The new Zesa will ensure that issues of National Development Strategy (NDS) 1 are actually implemented and various programmes will be coming. Places like Figtree and Melford are privileged to be in the smart city concept. e are now going to the drawing board to see how we can help Matabeleland and this is going on nationwide,” he said.
Dr Manyaya said the various projects set to be undertaken seek to cover the backlog of 320 000 clients.
“The backlog of 320 000 clients will be achieved through projects that include smart metering and prepaid meters and there is a project where a lot of meters will be coming. There are also areas where we are going to expand the electricity lines so that we meet all the challenges,” said Dr Manyaya.
Plumtree town council chairperson Councillor Fanisani Dube said infrastructure capital intensive projects have been on the wane due to the depressed economic environment including other militating forces.
“Electrification roll out has also been curtailed and as a result a number of suburbs within our environs have gone for long without the energy service.
Residents in some cases have resorted to pooling resources to procure the infrastructure, which the power utility has utilised to electrify the areas. Plumtree Town is keen to see that the national vision of being an upper middle income is achieved through active involvement in the development initiatives,” said Clr Dube.
He said as residents of Plumtree, the meeting was of importance as Zesa is promising that it will avail electricity.
“The issue had burdened residents who some have over 12 to 13 years without electricity. We are happy that Zesa is going in line with Government zeal to achieve NDS1 and Vision 2030.
We feel this will increase the value of our households and we hope this won’t be a talk show but implementation of electrifying the suburbs in the border town,” said Clr Dube. — @mthabisi_mthire
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