Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Sikhulekelani Moyo, mskhulekelani16@gmail.com
SMALL to medium enterprises (SMEs) have expressed concern over the disconnection of power supplies at the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) workspaces in Bulawayo saying this has crippled their business operations.
This comes after the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) reportedly disconnected electricity to the NRZ Southern Region dispassion area and other facilities, which are now being leased to the SMEs due to unpaid debt. Supplies were cut on Friday morning, forcing many players to seek alternatives like generators whilst those who cannot afford them are losing business due to failure to deliver orders.
“Many SMEs have lost jobs as clients demand their money back. Schools have just opened and this is the only opportunity for SMEs to make money,” said Bulawayo Chamber of SMEs vice chair Ms Sithabile Bhebhe.
“Those who can afford are now using generators, those who can’t are looking for places to do their garments and you will find out that the places are occupied as people work on meeting deadlines. Some clients have come and took back their material.”
Ms Bhebhe urged the NZR to find a solution to the situation saying SME tenants were paying their rentals, with some of the money being paid towards electricity bills.
“If you lose a client, it’s hard to get it back and the electricity issue has affected us, we have lost money and at the end of the month NRZ will need their rentals,” said Ms Bhebhe.
In his response, NRZ public affairs manager Mr Andrew Kunambura confirmed the development saying that the company is working on settling the debt.
He said they have an offset arrangement where they will carry the accrual and offset the balance while electricity is being provided to the premises.
“Bulawayo, Harare, and Munyathi, all of them are no longer functioning and we are not delivering any product there, and for that reason, there has been an outstanding debt to Zesa,” said Mr Kunambura.
“This is the reason why they have switched off our Southern Region dispassion area and premises that we lease.
“We are negotiating so that we can pay the outstanding debt. I think we need two to three days to clear the payment, and then power can be restored.”
Late last year Zesa advised all medium and large customers in the commercial, industrial, tourism, and mining sectors, and institutions that are still on postpaid billing, to migrate to the prepaid billing platform with effect from October 1, 2024.
The power utility said the inclusion of industry, commerce, and mining sectors to the prepaid platform was expected to address the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company’s significant debt of over ZiG5,7 billion.
Industry, commerce, and mining account for 74 percent of this debt, with each sector contributing 50 percent and 12 percent respectively
As a result of the debt, Zesa was struggling to import electricity and Zimbabwe’s electricity challenges have been exacerbated by the low dam levels at Kariba Dam, which supplies water for electricity at Kariba Power Station. —@SikhulekelaniM1
