Outrage over Zesa billing system

timeously capture payments and at times forcing them to pay bills twice.
This has resulted in some consumers being cut off with the power utility insisting they were in arrears.
Some consumers said their bills reflected three-month arrears when in fact they would have settled their bills on time.

The power utility’s billing system is still behind despite the introduction of Powertel Internet Service it claimed would improve efficiency and connectivity.
It is understood that the power utility is not networked at all to reflect current bills with some computers at the Megawatt Building reportedly being four months behind.
At the power utility’s Samora Machel Avenue headquarters, one computer server is two months behind while the other is based on real time billing.
Zesa Holdings acting chief executive officer Mr Eliab Chikwenhere said such anomalies were expected if payments were done manually.

“If such things happen, we deploy our loss control team to check what is happening and if someone is not doing their job then they will be punished accordingly,” Mr Chikwenhere said.
“Our system is connected to all the offices and it is one of the best we have because even banks use Powertel, but obviously we can have system interruption here and there.
“As far as we are concerned, we are up to date but we can have isolated issues and our staff will still be asked to account for what would have happened.”

Mr Livingstone Chineka of Ashdown Park has been receiving statements with outstanding bills of up to four months despite paying monthly.
This has been happening since last year.
Some of Mr Chineka’s electricity bills reflect payments that would have been made as outstanding, accruing interests in the process.

“I don’t understand why we should have these bills reflecting a deficit when I religiously pay monthly.
“Zesa was given a Class A communication licence with a fibre optic cable from Harare to Plumtree and there was an outcry from the public why they are diverting from their core business but said they wanted to improve their communication network.

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“These things should be networked properly and I believe they have been ripping off customers who have not been vigilant enough to check their bills,” he said.
Mr Chineka said he had been to Zesa offices where he was advised he did not owe the power utility anything after a meticulous verification of his payment history.
Mr Tapson Dube of Highfield also complained that he had received outstanding bills despite the fact that he had been paying.

“I have always been paying Zesa and water bills every time I get the bills but to my surprise I would keep on getting Zesa outstanding amounts, which would stay for up to four months reflecting only to disappear in the fifth month.

“Zesa should upgrade their system because some people might be paying bills double-double,” he said.
Consumers from different suburbs who declined to be named confirmed that they were being shortchanged by the power utility.
However, some Zesa employees claimed that most customers put themselves in a compromising position by paying the power utility’s workers not to disconnect them.

Energy and Power Development Minister Elton Mangoma, early this year said Zesa’s billing system was shambolic and advocated smart metering.
He said the system had given a golden opportunity to some corrupt Zesa employees to fleece consumers.
Smart meters reflect monthly consumption, unlike the current billing system those charges consumers when electricity is not used.

The State Procurement Board is expected to announce the winning bid for the prepaid metering system soon.
It is understood that two companies have already been shortlisted for the job.

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