BULAWAYO The Finance Minister, Tendai Biti, has blasted Hwange Colliery Company (HCC) for being incompetent, saying its management should be fired. Addressing businesspeople at a Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) meeting here on Friday, Biti accused the countrys sole coal producing company of causing electricity shortages by failing to supply eHwange Colliery should be blamed for shortages of electricity in the country. They are only producing 50 000 tonnes per month of coal instead of the 250 000 tonnes required by ZESA every month. Its management should be fired, said Biti.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has set up a committee to investigate HCC as the government is a significant shareholder in this public listed company. Zimbabwe is currently facing severe power outages as regional suppliers have reduced power supplies due to governments failure to pay its debts.
The regional power utilities of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mozambique and Zambia had given ZESA up to June 30 to clear a US$57 million debt for electricity supplies. Zimbabwe owes $40.3 million to Hydroelectrica Cahora Bassa (HCB) of Mozambique, US$9.8 million to Snel of the Democratic Republic of Congo and $1.7 million to Zambia (Zambian Electricity Supply Commission) ZESCO. A further $5.7 million is owed to Mozambican electricity distribution company, EDM Power.