Zimbabwe’s ailing energy sector now faces vandalism amid severe power outage

Zimbabwe's power utility revealed on May 23 that it requires about USD 15 million to replace vandalized infrastructure at a time when the country is going through a debilitating power crisis that has forced it to introduce power cuts.

The Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) recently introduced a biting load shedding schedule for the entire country due to the depressed power generation at Kariba power station and shortage of foreign currency to import the commodity. The vandalism has also contributed to power outages for some consumers, as the utility continues to battle the problem which has cost it millions of dollars in repairs.

"Up to 30,000 households are without power due to vandalism of about 4,000 transformers, cables and associated materials. ZETDC needs about USD 15 million to replace the stolen materials," the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company took to social media to say.

Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) recently revealed that it had taken the decision to install geo-tracking sensors and cameras on transformers so as to curb the rampant vandalism of its infrastructure. "We want to support the government by ensuring that every transformer in the country will have a tracking chip that can be tracked if a transformer is stolen, ZESA official Burutsa Mandipezano said, as reported by Xinhua.

"We will also set up hidden cameras that will take pictures of thieves and people who vandalize transformers because the rate of vandalism is worrisome," Mandipezano added.

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