Removal Of Copper Cables Plunges Residents Into Darkness

Residents feel neglected after being left in the darkness without any explanation from the authorities.

BY LETHOKUHLE NKOMO | @The_CBNews | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | FEB 3, 2022

It is nearly three months without electricity for Ingumija, an area located near the country’s biggest power plant.

HWANGE (The Citizen Bulletin) — Situated at the heart of the country’s main electricity generation plant in Hwange, Matabeleland North, is Ingumija suburb where residents have been condemned to a life of darkness.

Lerato Shoko (32), a mother of three has to wake up in the wee hours every morning, and prepare to visit Empumalanga Township where she sells her products including fresh kapenta and bream fish.

Shoko’s main worry is having her fish not getting sold before lunch hour, as that means a huge loss since there is no electricity in her area.

She buys the fish from Binga traders.

The fish have a ready market, but the power blackout in Ingumija means she cannot purchase many for resale in the township.

“Electricity is very essential. Hwange town is a place which produces electricity for the whole country, and there is no reason for us here to stay without power for a long period,” Shoko says.

“This has inconvenienced my business which requires the use of refrigerators.”

Hwange’s power plant has an installed capacity of 920 megawatts fed to the national grid. But ageing equipment and lack of investment has seen the plant fail to reach maximum output.

Shoko is one of the residents staying at the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) owned Ingumija compound.

Speaking to The Citizen Bulletin, residents say life has never been the same after they were plunged into darkness, and they feel neglected.

There has been no explanation from the responsible authorities, they say.

The area was reportedly plunged into darkness when the NRZ allegedly started removing copper cables, which are a target of thieves.

To date, they have not been notified when the copper cables will be replaced with aluminum to curb thefts.

Lack of electricity has also affected the pumping of water, denying them their alienable right to access the precious liquid.

“Water on the installed boreholes is no longer accessible because we have no electricity. We need an intervention because our rights are being infringed upon.”
Lindani Moyo, speaking on behalf of Ingumija women

Lack of electricity has affected the pumping of borehole water for residents. Image by Cite

The boreholes were installed to alleviate water challenges facing the area.

In a bid to push for a solution, the affected residents are seeking the services of human rights’ lawyers to push authorities to act.

“As we speak relations between residents and the company are at an all-time low because the company takes very little concerns of the people,” Tinashe Matika, a resident adds.

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“We call for a genuine will towards the development of the town considering that the concession is a colonial setup design which was meant to further entrench those with power.”

Ingumija ward 14 councilor Vendari Albert Sibanda echoes similar sentiments saying residents have no joy in a life of darkness.

“As you can see, this is obvious, we have no joy,” he says.

“People are not happy; residents have been in the dark for a number of months now and it’s not good for the community.”
Vendari Albert Sibanda, Ward Councilor

He said NRZ officials have looked for a contractor to replace the cables, but the heavy rains experienced recently delayed the work.

“Some of the electricity poles were also destroyed by the rains,” he adds.

Repeated efforts to obtain a comment from the NRZ authorities did not yield results.

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