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Power cuts, sometimes lasting up to 18 hours, have become the norm rather than the exception.
Businesses, particularly in the manufacturing, agricultural, and mining sectors, are bearing the brunt of these outages.
Small enterprises are struggling to keep their doors open, while large-scale industries are losing millions of dollars in productivity every month.
Yet, despite these challenges, there is a simple, yet painful truth: Zimbabwe’s power utility, ZESA, is not powerless to fix this crisis.
In fact, the utility has the capacity to provide reliable, consistent electricity to the nation.
What stands in the way?
A culture of corruption and mismanagement within ZESA itself.
The Power Crisis: A Nation in Darkness
It is no secret that Zimbabwe’s electricity supply has been inadequate for many years.
The country’s once reliable power infrastructure, including its thermal power plants and hydroelectric stations, has deteriorated over time.
The Kariba Dam, which has long been the backbone of the nation’s energy production, now suffers from decreasing water levels due to drought.
The nation’s thermal plants, relics from the colonial era, are struggling to meet demand.
On paper, this would seem like an adequate explanation for the frequent power outages and the general inadequacy of the nation’s energy supply.
However, these challenges are not the sole reason for Zimbabwe’s energy crisis.
The real culprit is much closer to home: ZESA itself.
The state-owned electricity provider is capable of supplying adequate electricity to the nation, yet it continues to fail in fulfilling its most basic obligation: to deliver power to Zimbabweans who have paid for the service.
The reason behind this failure is not due to a lack of resources or outdated infrastructure.
Instead, it is the result of corruption, mismanagement, and a lack of accountability within the organization.
The Grand Looting at ZESA
ZESA’s ability to deliver reliable power to Zimbabweans is being severely hampered by systemic corruption and a deeply entrenched culture of mismanagement.
According to a 2019 forensic report by the Auditor General, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), millions of US dollars have been siphoned off through fraudulent schemes.
These schemes include overpayment for transformers, the purchase of obsolete equipment, and the diversion of funds towards extravagant luxuries for executives.
It is reported that an executive at ZESA splashed $600,000 on just four luxury vehicles.
This misuse of funds is not a one-off occurrence but a regular pattern that has plagued the power utility for years.
But the corruption doesn’t stop at lavish spending.
ZESA has been embroiled in several high-profile scandals that have raised questions about its leadership.
A case in point is the $5 million scandal involving businessman Wicknell Chivayo and the construction of a $173 million solar power plant in Gwanda.
Despite the project being awarded in 2015, the solar plant has yet to materialize, with millions of dollars allocated to the project simply disappearing.
Chivayo was reportedly paid for work that was never done, and yet, the project remains in limbo, with no repercussions for those involved.
The Sydney Gata Factor
ZESA has not been spared its fair share of drama in its executive leadership, particularly Sydney Gata, the controversial Executive Chairman – a position that is not provided for under the Public Enterprises Corporate Governance Act.
Gata’s tenure at ZESA has been marked by numerous accusations, some of which have led to investigations by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).
Gata was initially appointed as the first black General Manager of the state-owned power utility, then known as the Electricity Supply Commission (ESC).
However, in 1991 he was reportedly dismissed from the position by then Energy Minister Herbert Ushewokunze.
This was following a commission of inquiry into the state of state enterprises led by Justice George Smith, which found him unfit to hold the role of General Manager and recommended that he be dismissed or demoted.
The report presented damning evidence of serious mismanagement and misconduct in the way Gata was overseeing ZESA’s operations.
The commission said Gata lacked authority and leadership qualities and listed the power company among the country’s worst managed public entities.
In a surprising turn of events, however, Gata made a dramatic return to ZESA in the role of Executive Chairperson, despite the prior findings against him.
In 2003, trustees of the ZESA pension fund opened an investigation into allegations by the Zimbabwe Electricity Energy Workers’ Union (ZEEWU) that Gata had allowed a select group of senior managers to dip into the pension fund.
In 2005, staff protested at ZESA headquarters demanding Gata’s resignation.
The same year, a group of workers at ZESA Enterprises, a ZESA subsidiary, wrote to then Energy Minister Mike Nyambuya claiming that Gata had deployed ZESA manpower and equipment to install an irrigation project at his two farms, Rupise and Mutema Taona farms in Chipinge.
A report by Charles Nhova of the ZESA Independent Audit Committee (IAC), detailed how Gata used his influence to get ZESA to agree to a deal with WorldTel, a telecoms company with which he (Gata) is allegedly associated
According to Nhova, Gata unilaterally added wording to board minutes so that it appeared as if the board had agreed to the WordTel deal.
The Nhova report said Gata had “deliberately and peremptorily misled the Hon (Energy) minister about his board’s position on the deal, and is nonchalantly continuing to pursue the invalid agreement with WorldTel on a solo mission, and without waiting for the board’s final decision on the transaction.”
He was subsequently dismissed from his post by Nyambuya in 2006 but was soon to be back… again.
However, Gata has been accused of misusing public funds for personal gain, including blowing $10 million on extravagant company Christmas parties, paying employees from his private company using state funds, and even diverting company vehicles for his personal use.
One of the most shocking revelations about Gata is his involvement in the creation of the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Investment Trust (ZESIT), which has been accused of engaging in shady dealings, including mining operations and taking over ZESA projects under false pretenses.
This led to investigations by the ZACC, during which he was suspended in 2020 together with the entire ZESA board.
Despite these numerous allegations of corruption, Gata was cleared by the ZACC and remains in his position.
This is widely believed to be largely due to his close ties to powerful figures within the Zimbabwean government.
The Impact on Zimbabwean Citizens and Businesses
The consequences of ZESA’s mismanagement and corruption are felt acutely by Zimbabweans on a daily basis.
Ordinary citizens are routinely left without power, sometimes for up to 18 hours a day.
The prepaid system, meant to guarantee consumers consistent electricity, has failed to deliver on its promise.
Zimbabweans, who have already been struggling with the impact of hyperinflation and economic instability, now face the added burden of unreliable power supply.
This failure to deliver power has profound consequences for businesses across the country.
According to the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), Zimbabwe’s business sector is losing an estimated $80 million every month due to power outages.
The mining sector, one of Zimbabwe’s most important industries, is expected to lose $500 million this year alone, according to the Chamber of Mines, as a direct result of the energy crisis.
Mining companies, including units of Impala Platinum, Anglo American Platinum and Sibanye-Stillwater, have also been losing production time and revenue due to the power outages.
Small businesses are being forced to close their doors, while larger companies are struggling to maintain operations, relying on expensive diesel-powered generators to keep the lights on.
Some businesses are even resorting to operating at night to avoid the day-time power cuts.
As the cost of doing business continues to rise, companies are being forced to lay off workers, further exacerbating the already dire unemployment situation in the country.
These businesses are not only losing money due to the lack of electricity, but they are also facing increased operational costs due to the need to run diesel generators, which are both expensive and environmentally harmful.
The Broken Contract Between ZESA and Its Customers
One of the most glaring issues surrounding Zimbabwe’s power crisis is the breach of contract between ZESA and its customers.
Under the prepaid system, consumers pay for electricity in advance, yet they do not receive the service they have paid for.
This is a clear violation of consumer rights and constitutes a breach of contract.
According to Zimbabwean law, customers are entitled to receive the service for which they have paid, and yet they are left in the dark, both literally and figuratively.
This situation is not just an inconvenience for Zimbabweans—it is a crisis that has far-reaching economic implications.
It is imperative that Zimbabweans seriously consider litigation against ZESA for breach of contract.
If consumers continue to pay for services they do not receive, it will only perpetuate the cycle of corruption and mismanagement that has plagued the utility for years.
Legal action would not only hold ZESA accountable but would also send a strong message to other state-owned enterprises that they cannot operate with impunity.
ZESA’s Capacity to End the Crisis
Despite the overwhelming evidence of corruption and mismanagement at ZESA, the reality is that the power utility has the capacity to provide sufficient electricity to the nation.
The money that has been siphoned off could have been invested in maintaining and upgrading the power plants, procuring reliable equipment, and improving the overall efficiency of the power grid.
If ZESA were to operate with transparency and accountability, it could easily address the energy crisis in Zimbabwe.
Moreover, the power utility has access to resources that could be used to mitigate the current challenges.
For instance, the country has vast potential for renewable energy, particularly in solar power, which could provide a sustainable solution to the energy crisis.
The $173 million solar power project in Gwanda, which has yet to be completed, is just one example of the untapped potential that exists within Zimbabwe’s energy sector.
Conclusion: A Call for Accountability and Change
ZESA’s failure to provide reliable electricity to Zimbabweans is not a result of insurmountable challenges or a lack of resources.
It is the direct consequence of corruption, mismanagement, and a lack of accountability at the highest levels of the power utility.
Zimbabweans deserve better.
They deserve a power utility that operates with integrity and fulfills its obligation to provide consistent and reliable electricity.
It is time for the people of Zimbabwe to demand accountability from ZESA and its leadership.
It is time for the government to take action against those who have destroyed the nation’s power infrastructure for their own personal gain.
As the nation faces an ever-deepening energy crisis, it is clear that the solution lies not in more excuses or promises of reform, but in the eradication of corruption within ZESA and the restoration of trust in its ability to serve the people of Zimbabwe.
Until this happens, Zimbabwe will continue to live in darkness, both figuratively and literally.
The time for change is now.
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