Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume said that the local authority has suspended the licensing of service stations and will soon consult with the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) and the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) on the issue.
This decision follows complaints from residents concerning the proliferation of service stations in the city, particularly in residential areas.
Many residents suspect that corruption among officials has played a role in the approval of numerous service stations.
In an interview with <a href="https://businesstimes.co.zw/war-over-service-stations/">Business Times</a>, Mafume confirmed that the local authority has halted the issuance of permits for the construction of fuel service stations. He said:
<blockquote>
We have ordered that they stop giving any permits for a service station until a meeting is held with EMA, ZERA and the council so that we understand what is going on.
We are going to write a letter to stakeholders through our parent ministry for them to come on board and discuss the process involved.
</blockquote>
Despite widespread disapproval from councillors and Mayor Mafume’s recent stance, acting Director of Town Planning Samuel Nyabeza said that the proliferation of service stations is not problematic.
He claimed that the process is transparent and essential for the local authority’s revenue generation. Said Nyabeza:
<blockquote>
We consult experts and neighbours and decisions are made with full council endorsement.
The vehicle population in the city is increasing daily. We now have around 1.5 million vehicles in Harare compared to less than a million five years ago. The proliferation of service stations is simply a matter of supply meeting demand.
A decision is made which is endorsed by full council then a payment is granted with several conditions. But before the service station is built, before building plans for service stations are submitted, we will require that the applicant goes to EMA to apply for an environmental impact assessment approval.
Before they grant the certificate, they invite stakeholders around that area to a meeting to hear their views.
They do thorough interrogations about the safety, about the issues pertaining to underground water, safety of the neighbours, safety of the public before they grant the EIA certificate.
Then they will now be able to start submission of building plans.
</blockquote>
However, Precious Shumba, Director of the Harare Residents Trust, told Business Times that many service stations are being established in residential areas, wetlands, and hazardous locations near intersections, indicating that corruption may be influencing these decisions. He said:
<blockquote>
There is a lot of corruption in the local authorities and there is also a lack of monitoring by EMA.
We expect the Regional Town and Country Planning Act to be implemented fully. However, most service stations are being established in residential areas, wetlands, and hazardous locations near intersections.
This poses serious challenges in emergencies such as fire outbreaks or unforeseen leaks that could pollute the environment.
So this is caused by massive corruption involving councillors and technocrats within local authorities.
The weakness we have also noted is the issue of environmental impact assessments that are undertaken by the owners of the service stations and they always come out with a positive report which disregards environmental protection.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

The city of Harare has stopped giving permits for new gas stations because people are upset about too many gas stations in their neighborhoods. Some people think officials are being corrupt and approving too many gas stations. The city wants to talk to experts and others to figure out what to do. Some officials say it's not a problem and that they follow all the rules. But others think there is corruption and that gas stations are being built in bad places. The city needs to figure out how to balance making money with protecting the environment and people.

Harare City Council Suspends Licensing Of Fuel Service Stations

The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) says it has taken action against six fuel service stations in Bulawayo that were selling contaminated fuel and blended fuel claiming it is unleaded.
ZERA chief executive officer, Eddington Mazambani, on Tuesday told the<a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/contaminated-fuel-six-filling-stations-exposed/"> Chronicle</a> that the errant fuel dealers have been dragged to court and fined different amounts.
The six companies are Meizon Amakhosi, Petromoc Exor, Clean Liquids, Clean Easy, Heaven S/St, and Oil Twenty 20.
Meizon Amakhosi, Bulawayo, was fined US$$300 for selling contaminated diesel and Petromoc Exor, which was charged for selling blended fuel as unblended and was fined US$300.
Clean Liquids has also been charged for selling contaminated diesel and fined US$300, the same as Clean Easy which was fined US$400.
Heaven S/St, Bulawayo was fined US$150 for selling contaminated diesel, while Oil Twenty 20 was fined US$400 for selling contaminated fuel. Said Mazambani:
<blockquote>
The location and allocation of land for service stations are governed by the local authorities concerned.
Service stations are required to meet EMA and Fire Departments’ safe storage of fuel requirements.
Ultimately, service stations need a ZERA license to operate and before they are given the license, they must demonstrate compliance with the following key standards or codes for the petroleum industry.
</blockquote>
He said ZERA does not only enforce standards but also conducts awareness training sessions with stakeholders on the standards and best practices to facilitate compliance.
In November 2023, the Ministry of Energy and Power Development adopted the revised ZWS753:2020 (Unleaded Petrol) standard, as the standard for unleaded petrol.
All fuel importers were advised that in five months they would be expected to import fuel that meets or exceeds specifications laid out in the revised standard.
In a general notice number 1884 0f 2023, ZERA stated that the revised standard ZWS 753:2020 allows for the importation of cleaner and superior unleaded petrol that is compatible with modern and improved vehicle technologies and eliminates vapour lock problems previously encountered at service stations.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Six Filling Stations Fined For Selling Contaminated Fuel

A Bulawayo fuel service station, Meizon Petroleum, was on Thursday arraigned before Magistrate Nomagugu Maphosa for selling contaminated diesel.
The fuel retailer, represented by Rangarirai Levison, pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined US$300 by the magistrate.
The court heard that on 19 September 2022, Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) inspectors visited the Meizon Petroleum fuel station to verify whether its fuel met set standards.
They extracted a sample from the diesel pump and tested it in the laboratory with the results revealing that the fuel was contaminated. The lawyer, Levison, said:
<blockquote>
We did not know that we sold contaminated diesel fuel. The company is small, it does not have any of the machines for testing fuel before purchasing it and in Zimbabwe, there are no retailers selling these testing machines.
</blockquote>
In May 2022, motorists alleged that a fuel service station at Lupane centre was allegedly selling petrol contaminated with water.
ZERA chief executive Addington Mazambane urged motorists to quickly report all cases of suspected fuel contamination so that the authorities can investigate and institute corrective measures.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Fuel Service Station Fined US$300 Over Contaminated Diesel

Harare Metropolitan Provincial Affairs and Devolution Secretary Tafadzwa Muguti has expressed concern over the rate at which fuel stations are being built in the province.
Speaking at a Highlands Residents Association meeting held at the Highlands Presbyterian Church last Friday, <a href="https://www.hmetro.co.zw/fuel-stations-madness/">Muguti said</a>:
<blockquote>
I am also not a fan of service stations, they are already too many. I am not a fan of billboards.
They are already too many but I’m also not a fan of service stations, which go into wetlands and other places like what’s going on now.
We now have houses that are being turned into service stations.
So, it’s getting a bit crazy, in fact, it’s now crazy actually.
</blockquote>
Muguti also said the majority of the service stations were constructed without engagements with residents in violation of the Regional Town and Country Planning Act.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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