Zera cracks down on illegal gas dealers

Source: The Herald – Breaking news.

 

Mr Mazambani said last year, more than 200 illegal operators were arrested and prosecuted for operating without licences. So far this year, 70 illegal operators had already been prosecuted for the same offence.

Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent

Liquefied petroleum gas traders will be forced to be licenced, as the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) intensifies compliance and finalises recommendations to amend the Petroleum (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) Regulations 2014 to make compliance more effective, the authority’s chief executive, Mr Edington Mazambani, has said.

Following an influx of illegal traders across the country and Harare in particular, Mr Mazambani said the authority was intensifying compliance and enforcement to ensure that all operators and traders were licenced and registered and adhered to their requirements.

A recent survey found many backyard LPG dispensing businesses that did not follow the prescribed safety standards. 

In detailed check in Harare’s high-density suburbs of Warren Park, Kambuzuma, Mufakose, Budiriro, Kuwadzana, Dzivaresekwa and Highfield, some LPG traders had no safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, no sheds to work from and no calibrated scales.

They only had the larger gas tanks that  are not registered and licenced by ZERA and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).

Mr Mazambani said last year, more than 200 illegal operators were arrested and prosecuted for operating without licences. So far this year, 70 illegal operators had already been prosecuted for the same offence.

“A cumulative total for 350 of the 48kg LPG cylinders and equipment have been confiscated for destruction or return to their rightful owners,” he said.

“ZERA licences everyone intending to conduct any petroleum undertaking including petroleum and gas retailers. ZERA on its own and in conjunction with the police, enforces requirements for licences through compliance monitoring. It conducts training awareness on LPG standards, licencing requirements, safe use of energy for LPG consumers and operators. 

“The authority collaborates with other regulatory bodies like EMA, local authorities, fire departments and police to curtail illegal LPG operations through joint enforcement operations.”

Concerns have also been raised over the increasing number of sub-standard cylinders in circulation.

LPG is a cleaner form of energy for heating and cooking compared to kerosene and wood fuel and its use contributes to a reduction in use of wood fuel and lessens pressures on the national electricity grid, which is already overburdened.

Following a number of gas-related accidents in 2013, the Government promulgated Statutory Instruments (SI) 57 of 2014 – Petroleum (Liquid Petroleum Gas) Regulations.

ZERA, using the powers enshrined in the regulations, regularly checks on the LPG businesses to see whether they are operating in terms of the law.

Indications are that the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas by households is increasing, although at a slow pace.

In Zimbabwe, studies have shown that in urban areas, LPG contributes 2 percent of the total energy used by households.