Online Reporter
Farirai Machivenyika
Senior Reporter
The country is facing a shortage of 6 000 transformers that have been lost mainly due to vandalism, Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo told the National Assembly today.
He was responding to a question by Murehwa South legislator, Cde Noah Mangondo during the weekly question and answer session.
Cde Mangondo wanted to know the Government’s policy regarding replacing damaged or vandalised electricity transmission infrastructure, especially for schools and health institutions, some of which have gone for months without electricity.
“The main problem we are facing is vandalism of infrastructure and as we speak, 6 000 transformers were stolen countrywide. We have no capacity locally to produce enough to replace them timeously.
“For the wooden poles, the policy we now have is that we replace them with concrete ones which are more durable,” Minister Moyo said.
The Government has since amended the law to impose a mandatory 10-year jail term on electricity infrastructure vandals.
Bongani Ndlovu