ZIMBABWE’s poor have been pushed into the deep end of hopelessness and poverty, as they get disconnected from essential public services like water and electricity due to non-payment, a residents’ association has said.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association (BPRA) said the poor were suffering under the current harsh economic environment and failing to pay for services.
BPRA was reacting to reports that the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) was embarking an exercise that will see the power utility disconnecting customers even those on the pre-paid metre platform with outstanding debts.
“BPRA contends that most service providers miss the point by assuming that people wilfully default on their debts, when the reality is that they, more often than not, cannot afford to pay.
“Disconnecting defaulters will, therefore, only serve to deny the poorest access to electricity, which effectively means that the burden for the poor state of the economy is being borne by the poorest of the poor, who are increasingly being disconnected from essential public services,” BPRA information manager, Zibusiso Dube said.
The electricity disconnections come at a time when even local authorities such as the Bulawayo council are switching off water supplies over late payments.
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“BPRA is, however, concerned that the move by Zesa to disconnect power from its debtors is insensitive and fails to recognise the reality that many people hardly have enough money to immediately pay off their debts,” Dube said.
“BPRA believes that Zesa should stick to the arrangement whereby 30%of the money paid by prepaid electricity users goes towards servicing debts. For postpaid electricity users, it would be more prudent for Zesa to allow people to make payment plans.”
He added: “This would be better than going ahead with a nationwide disconnection programme, which will only serve to deny many households access to electricity as disconnection is not of use when someone truly cannot afford to settle the debts. ”
