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Zesa, power producer embroiled in currency dispute

Published

3 years ago

August 24, 2021

A currency dispute between an independent power producer and power utility Zesa shows how regulatory hurdles continue to dim prospects for private energy investment in Zimbabwe.

Zesa is awaiting the outcome of international arbitration in a currency dispute with one of the country’s first private power producers, a case that’s holding up other investments.

Nyangani Renewable Energy, which operates solar and hydropower plants in Zimbabwe and Malawi, took the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission Distribution Company (ZETDC) to the Johannesburg branch of the International Chamber of Commerce to rule on the disagreement over a currency conversion agreement.

“We eagerly await the outcome of the arbitration,” Ian McKersie, the managing director of Harare-based Nyangani said. “If it is favourable, it will allow us to resume the very conducive working relationships we have.”

The dispute was heard on June 14. Nyangani says it is owed US$8.6 million for power delivered from its 15MW Pungwe B run-of-river hydropower plant. It wants to be paid in US dollars but ZETDC, a unit of Zesa, is seeking to pay in Zimbabwe dollars.

Zesa declined to comment.

Nyangani’s 10MW Riverside Solar power station was the first independent producer to feed into Zesa when the first 2.5MW came on stream in January 2018.

The company plans to expand, but “the rollout of the next phase has been stalled for three years pending a resolution of the IPP currency of payment issue”, the company said in July.

The company also said last month that “despite exceptional initial progress, construction on the Tsanga A and C Hydros has been hampered and halted due to IPP currency payment issues”.

Nyangani has built eight power plants in Zimbabwe since 2009 with a total generation capacity of 32MW.

Zimbabweans are subjected to regular power cuts because of the inability of Zesa to meet demand, and the state-owned company is struggling to pay for privately produced power because of a shortage of foreign currency.

Other projects are stalled as producers await the outcome of the case.

Private electricity has the potential to transform the industry in Zimbabwe, and help repair an economy that’s yet to recover from a collapse two decades ago.

While independent power producers supply only 135MW to the grid, licenses for facilities with a combined capacity of 6 858MW have been issued, according to a parliamentary report.

That is more than enough to meet demand for electricity, but many of the projects have not taken off.

In May last year, Zimbabwe tendered for 500MW of solar power, hoping to attract private investment into renewables.

Private companies, such as leading mining companies, are advancing rapidly in setting up solar plants for their own consumption.

But growth in investment by independent producers remains slow.

This is largely due to uncertainty around the currency, power offtake agreements with Zesa and scarcity of foreign credit for large scale power projects. –Bloomberg/newZwire

Hwange

Kugcotshwa ukhansila omutsha we Zanu-Pf abaphikisayo eVictoria Falls besithi bekumele kuqhutshwe ukhetho lwe by-election

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2024

VicFallsLive

VOA

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Kulokufuthelana kwabakubandla eliphikisayo eleCitizens Coalition for Change (CCC) kulandela ukufungiswa kukaMnumzana Tonderai Mutasa webandla leZanu PF eVictoria Falls, kungenziwanga ukhetho lwe-byelection lokudinga ukhansila kuWard 1.

UMutasa bekufuze ancintisane lo Mnumzana Ephias Mambume owebandla leCCC, kodwa obebhalise ukukhankasa ezimele. Ngenyanga edluleyo, esinye sezakhamizi sammangalela emthethwandaba ukuba kabhadali imithelo lamanzi ekhansilini, okwenza emalangeni inkundla yomthwethwandaba ephezulu inqume ukuba ufunyanwa elecala leli, okumthathela ilungelo lokuthi ancintise ngomthetho welizwe.

Lokhu kuhle kwapha igunya abe Zanu PF ukuba uMutasa afungiswe engavotelwangwa. Ngemva komcimbi lo, sixoxe loMnumzana Matthew Muleya ongumgcinisihlalo webandla le Zanu PF ngempumela le kanye lobukhohlakali obubikwa busenzakala edolobheni leli, okuyikho abeCCC abathi kuvinjelwe uMambume ngesizatho sokuba ubezabuveza.

“Kuyibufakazi kithi ukuba iZanu Pf iselempilo edolobheni leli, uMambume waxotshwa yi CCC, njalo ubengabhadali ama rates lamanzi, kithi yikho sakubona kumqoka ukuthi simuse emthethweni. Okokuthi kulobukhohlakakali lapha, asikwazi thina ngoba besivele silokhansila oyedwa abanye bengabe CCC, so siyathaba ngoba sebezikhulumele bodwa ukuba bayatshotsha.”

UMambume uthi wesulelwa nje icala angalaziyo. Ephendula ngokulotshiweyo, uthe usephanyeke edale le Supreme Court incwadi yokuphikisa isinqumo secala leli, ethi ebekhansilini besebenza labe Zanu PF bakupheka lokhu. Uthi usalinde ilanga lokuhlalelwa kwecala leli esima ngelokuthi ukhansila ukhethwa ngabantu, hatshi lokhu okwenzakeleyo.

Sixoxe loMnumzana Promise Mkhwananzi isikhulumeli seCCC, oveze ukuba yibuqili obenzakalayo, lokufiphazwa kwamalungelo oluntu.

“Kuvamile lokhu ukuthi inkudla yomthetho ingenele endabeni se politiki ikakhulu emabandleni aphikisayo njalo lokudelela umthetho sisekelo welizwe ngokwalela izizalwane ukuba zizikhethele ezimfunayo. Sizamile ukuba uMambume azimele yedwa, kodwa ngoba besesaba umongameli Nelson Chamisa, benze ngabomo ukumvimba, okunye njalo bafihla inkohlakalo ezenzakala edolobheni leli besebenza beyi cabal

“Izanu Pf ifana lamanye nje amabandla njenge Zapu, CCC. Asibuyeli emuva siya eSupreme Court ukuze sifake kuma records ethu ukwephulwa komthetho njalo sisazobaqonda nhla abe judiciary ngalokhu kusiyaphambili.”

Sibuze ohola ikhansili ye Victoria Falls, uMnumzana Ronnie Dube, ukuzwa ngobukhohlakali lobu obuphakanyiswa nguMkhwananzi, oma ngelokuthi kusazogedl’amazinyo.

“Ngingeke ngiphawule ngokukhulunywe nguMkhwananzi engingamaziyo, okuqakathekileyo yikuthi uma inyamanza isifa iyaqhatsha. Uqhatsha laye uMambume iqiniso yikuthi akutshoyo nge corruption thina siyi public entity njalo kulemthetho ebekwe nguhulumende ukudila lakho lokho. Loba ngubani olubufakazi obubambekayo engaya kuZACC engayi kusocial media ngoba kayila sixazululo.”

Ukugcotshwa kuka Mutasa, yena oyale ukhululuma lomsakazo lo, kubeyisiphangiphangi, nanku ngoba ihlekana ebelikulinkundla yokufungiswa kwakhe belingelebandla le Zanu PF kuphela, okuyikho abebandla le CCC abathi kukhombisa ukuba kukhona okunuka santungwana.

Sixoxe laye umamangalela uMambume, uMnumzana Akim Mutorera, othi ukungakhokhi kukaMambume wazibonela yedwa, kodwa wehlukelile ukuchaza ukuba ukoloda imali enganani.

Inhlanganiso ezimeleyo eye Victoria Falls Combined Residents Association ibingekho kuluncimbi, njalo bathe abasoze bayibambe ngekhanda, bazaphendula bengazwisisa okuyikho kanye okwenzakalayo.

SOURCE| VOA

Lupane

Conductor killed in bus accident along Dandanda-Jotsholo road

Published

4 days ago

November 20, 2024

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A bus conductor lost his life in a tragic accident along Dandanda-Jotsholo Road in Lupane after being run over by the bus he was working on.

The incident occurred on November 17, at approximately 1:30 a.m.

According to the police report, the conductor was hanging precariously on the moving bus and unfortunately slipped and fell, resulting in fatal injuries.

The police are now urging bus operators and crew members to exercise extreme caution and adhere to safety protocols to avoid such devastating accidents.

They specifically warn against allowing loaders or conductors to hang dangerously on moving vehicles, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing safety on the roads.

Bubi

Inyathi man handed community service for burning wife’s belongings

Published

4 days ago

November 20, 2024

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A 39-year-old man from Inyathi Township has been convicted of malicious damage to property after a disagreement with his wife

The accused recently appeared before the Inyathi Magistrates’ Court for malicious damage to property.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority, sometime in September, the accused person had a misunderstanding with the complainant, his wife over the welfare of the family.

He forced the complainant and their children out of the house.

While the complainant was away, the accused person burnt the complainant’s belongings.

The destroyed property was valued at $140.

The accused person was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, of which 3 months were suspended for 5 years.

A further 18 months were suspended on condition that he completes 630 hours of community service.

The remaining 3 months were suspended on condition of restitution.