The protests started simultaneously at four different points in the city centre before the demonstrators who were chanting WOZA slogans converged at ZESA’s power station offices along Lobengula Street where “ant abuse of power petitions” were handed over to the company representatives at the offices.The demonstrators were also carrying placards and banners denouncing the power utility for terribly “abusive of electricity service”
“The protest is to demand ZESA to stop cutting off defaulters while they are unable to provide full affordable service. Members also feel that they could be better off with prepaid meters than paying a full bill for a part of service,” said Jane Williams, the organisation’s leader.
“More than 50 percent of homes pay fixed charge. If they don’t pay they are cut off and they do not get any discount for power cuts and are charged interest on back and estimate bills. These are some of the reasons why WOZA is giving ZESA a red card,” said Williams.
He said her organisation carried out a research last year on 1 434 households and found out that an average home spends 101 hours per month without electricity.
Last week hundreds of residents in Tshabalala and Sizinda high density suburbs also demonstrated at the ZESA’s offices over the disconnection of power.
Post published in: Politics