Numerous businesses battling to survive owing to an electricity crisis that caused the Workington neighbourhood of Harare to endure almost a month without power have laid off hundreds of workers.
Companies have been using generators since December 28 when one of power utility ZESA’s sub-power stations blew up.
The retrenchments are meant to cut down on wage bills.
Owner of Wood Take Alan Dreyer told NewZimbabwe that some companies were eager to pay their remaining employees even though they had not been productive for the entire month. Said Dreyer:
I have about 30 employees and the same number at my sister company. There has not been any power since we opened this year but I assure you they will be expecting their salaries at the end of the month despite the situation.
If only we could get communication as to when ZESA expects to reconnect us for planning purposes.
According to NewZimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) does not have all components needed to fix the station.
The components can be found in South Africa but have not yet been ordered.
The location under question is home to one of Harare’s largest sugar refineries, as well as mills for wheat and maize.
A power crisis in Zimbabwe has been going on for months, leaving the majority of the country without electricity for up to 18 hours daily. Depleting water levels at the Kariba Hydropower facility are blamed for power outages.
Due to the site’s outdated equipment, Hwange Thermal Power Station’s contributions have been unreliable.
Hwange Thermal Power Station’s Unit 7 could not be added to the national grid as promised late last year, according to recent comments made by Energy Minister Zhemu Soda. He said there were some challenges.