via Zesa dishes out $10m free electricity annually | The Herald May 12, 2015
ZESA Holdings’ decision to exempt its 5 000 workers and pensioners from paying for electricity is costing the power utility $10 million annually, it has emerged.
Staffers from the Ministry of Energy and Power Development also enjoy the exemption, further straining Zesa.
The power utility’s workers and pensioners are entitled to $160 worth of electricity units every month, while staffers in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development have a monthly entitlement of $100.
This was revealed by Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company managing director Engineer Julian Chinembiri while giving evidence to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy yesterday.
Zanu-PF MP for Gutu Central, Cde Lovemore Matuke, chairs the committee.
The committee demanded the full list of people who were exempted from paying electricity by next Monday.
“Zesa employees are getting $160 worth of units per month and then the Ministry of Energy and Power Development are getting $100 worth of units,” said Eng Chinembiri.
“At Zesa, our employees are slightly above 5 000, including pensioners. I do not have the figures for ministry staff. We were just given a list of all the people from the ministry. Everyone, from the minister, is exempted.”
The revelation infuriated legislators who queried how the struggling power utility could afford to continue extending benefits to former employees.
Others questioned how employees could be given $160 worth of electricity yet in low-density areas, residents spend at most $60 on electricity per month.
Residents in areas like Mabelreign, Marlborough and Mt Pleasant spend about $40 at most on electricity, while those in high-density areas fork out about $25 per month.
The majority of Zesa employees stay in high-density areas, but are still entitled to about $160 worth of electricity units.
Electricity worth about $160 is enough to run high-powered welding machines.
COMMENTS
No no no this is not correct at all. I have always known ZESA employees do not pay for electricity but didnt they are entitled to such a big amount. They will obviously run huge business which require energy. Waisaneyi ne industry? What happens in this country on fails to understand. Benefits yes should be given to employees but not the way its done. Why not give them a token 50% of the average used by a family. Lets say 25 to 30 dollars maybe. Ende futi kunogara the employees esp the managers hakuende magetsi. Zvakaoma zveZimbabwe
Obviously more electricity is being used by these 5000 plus employees and pensioners. They obviously use more than they should use per month. Why not, even if it was me. I would definately run a huge business at home which requires electricity. Zvemahara! Zimbabwe be serious! This must stop with immediate effect.
Where else in the world would you find such archaic policies. I wont be surprised to hear that those benefits are not even taxed.
And the minister also getting free electricity? Seriously?
It never seizes to amaze me, how Zimbabwe can ever rid itself of such corrupt tendencies. Where in the world do companies struggling with debt afford such waste.
For those of use living outside Zimbabwe, it such revelations that convince me, no way can I go and live in Zimbabwe. I love my country Zimbabwe, but I cannot imagine for a moment, that I can tolerate the poor governance that some in Zimbabwe accept as normal.
This is a distraction from the zanu bigwigs who pay nothing and owe many times this amount
This benefit has always been there since time immemorial and its part of the employee’s pay.Its taxable. Its the employer and employee’s right to negotiate the manner in which they pay each other.The public whether legislators or whoever are not part of that agreement because they are not employers.
In Zimbabwe there are no caps as to how much electricity one can buy.So what if the employees are getting that much electricity?
The legislators have to find the root cause of why there has not been investment in power generation since independence. They should spend taxpayers money on issues of substance which would result in an improvement in the life of the ordinary Zimbabwean.
It should stop with immediate effect. The benefit is costing the country big time.