ZESA Holdings will pay over US$60 000 in compensation to two minors who sustained severe electrical burns after coming into contact with low-hanging power cables, a consequence of gross negligence by the utility’s employees.
Bulawayo High Court judges Justice Evangelista Kabasa and Justice Mpokiseng Dube recently ordered the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), a Zesa subsidiary, to compensate the two Mangwe district residents, aged 11 and 14, who were electrocuted on May 18, 2022.
Represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) attorney Prisca Dube, the 11-year-old’s family filed a damages claim in August 2024.
After ZETDC initially denied liability, Justice Dube ruled on January 15, 2026, ordering the utility to pay US$50 000 in damages within two months.
The 14-year-old sustained more severe injuries. Initially treated at St Anne’s Hospital, he was referred to United Bulawayo Hospitals, where surgery on his right arm confirmed a 32% permanent disability.
ZLHR filed a US$52 000 claim in August 2024.
While ZETDC again contested liability, it offered a settlement of US$16 000 on 14 January 2026, citing its insurance coverage limit.
The offer was accepted, and Justice Kabasa formalised the order on January 22, 2026, granting ZETDC 60 days to pay.
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ZLHR pursued the cases as part of its broader anti-impunity drive, aiming to foster accountability at the state-owned power supplier and deter human rights violations through legal action.
