Bwami Chonga Mudimba
On July 21, 2025, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) held a stakeholder education and awareness program at the Binga Business Centre, where it issued a strong warning about the life-threatening risks posed by illegal electricity connections in the community.
The engagement focused on promoting the safe and efficient use of energy, aligning with ZERA’s broader mandate.
Attendees received updates on electricity supply reliability, persistent load shedding, and ongoing vandalism of energy infrastructure. ZERA also emphasized the importance of reporting damaged property and refraining from unauthorized installations, which continue to endanger lives.
Engineer Thubelihle Ndlovu-Sibanda told participants that poorly executed electrical connections, especially on structures such as fowl runs, are a major hazard. “Poor electrical connections on fowl runs are usually done by men, but most of the people that get affected and die due to those connections are women and children,” she said, urging communities to avoid shortcuts and illegal setups.
The session also covered fuel quality monitoring, with Engineer Tinotenda Machingura explaining ZERA’s routine inspections of fuel sold at service stations. “As ZERA, we do all these measures so that the cars and machines that use fuel do not get damaged because of sub-standard products,” he said.
In addition, ZERA educated stakeholders on the safe handling of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in homes. Community members were advised to use proper containers like Jerry cans to transport fuel, rather than unsafe plastic alternatives.
Mr. Hugh T. Mlauzi encouraged locals to explore LPG-based projects for their quick returns, while Mr. Naison Nyathi called for the deployment of LPG inspectors at the district level to strengthen regulatory enforcement.
The event reaffirmed ZERA’s commitment to promoting public safety and responsible energy use, while empowering communities with the knowledge to protect themselves and use energy sustainably.
