Government Announces Measures To End Power Crisis: Duty On Solar Equipment Waived

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ZESA billboard

The government is putting in place a number of measures in order to resolve the current power crisis. The following measures were announced by Minister of Information Monica Mutsvangwa during the 25th Cabinet Meeting:

  • large hotels in the Victoria Falls will pay their ZESA bills in foreign currency
  • “special incentives shall be provided through duty waivers on imported solar equipment”
  • “shall be mandatory for all new construction projects to be solar-powered”
  • mining companies under the banner of the Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines to pay a cost recovery electricity tariff to ZESA, and to directly procure extra power supplies from the Southern African Power Pool as well as to mobilise a lump sum towards the settlement of the existing power imports debt arrears

The government hopes that these measures will go a long way in easing the power crisis that has plunged the majority of Zimbabweans into darkness. Minister Mutsvangwa said the measures will help unlock “power imports” whilst simultaneously “reducing reliance on power from the national grid”.

Also read, South African President Says Zimbabwe Has Been Able “To Pay Up The Debt They Owe To Eskom”

17 comments

  1. malvin

    inini thsz where i have a prob with our gov…you made USD illegal why should the hotels pay in USD, hatidi madouble standards aggh!!! great initiative but whats happening with our power stations, thermal power stations, we have a LOT of coal, saka problem iripapi? waivering duty wont make much of a diff coz even in SA those batteries are beyond many, they are expensive!!!

    1. AlwaysOffTopic

      Great initiative my foot, solar is both expensive and inefficient, to assume solar can be a substitute for our thermal and hydro power plants is deluded, also, mandating all construction projects to be solar powered will just raise the cost of the project unnecessarily and could derail some planned builds. This will have devasting effects on an already failing economy. Another short sighted policy move from our ” government of technocrats “.

  2. AlwaysOffTopic

    These measures just go to show how bad things are , this part of the statement is especially worrying , “…as well as to mobilise a lump sum towards the settlement of the existing power imports debt arrears ” . Does this mean there is no hope of government being able to clear the debts on its own? What about this budget surplus Prof is always going on about. Yah, ma one!!!!!

  3. Anonymous

    “large hotels in the Victoria Falls will pay their ZESA bills in foreign currency” – this doesnt make sense at all and needs to be scraped the rest is fine.
    The biggest problem in Zim is lack of innovation.Yes we all agree the governments has its fault but what has the private sector done (dololo).Power shortages acrosss southen africa were predicted in the early 90’s and people including private sector just sat on it ,they did nothing at all ,all they do is say “government did not do this,government did not do that”.To me this is a huge crisis thats being overlooked.Pvt sector not constant and affordable power to remain viable they just sat and bought more cars for executives now its raining they looking for umbrellas.We have a dependency system from private sector to individuals and sadly its against an inept and corrupt government

    1. AlwaysOffTopic

      Excuse me, everybody including the private sector pays taxes to the government (which finances the state in its entirety so i would argue the private sector is doing a hell of a lot, all the money used to globe trot in luxury jets , the tax payer foots the bill), who have in their employ (should anyway) people whose overarching responsibility is long term planning, that is how the system works, the system of National/Federal Government.
      In a perfect world if someone is unable to perform their duties to a satisfactory level they should be relieved of their responsibilities.
      My point is that innovation has nothing to do with it. It should not be Chamber of Mines responsibility to make sure there is enough electricity for the whole country when there are people in the Ministry of Energy, paid salaries and who knows what benefits to perform that very role. Its not dependency, ITS THEIR F**KING JOB.
      Come election time these people who blame “lack of innovation/ dependency ” vote the same idiots back into power, and we all wonder where it goes wrong. Nxa. Therein lies the real reason why Zim is the way it is. US THE ELECTORATE.

      Dang it , i have used up a lot of battery life ranting over here.

      1. Anonymous

        Ok then let them wait for the government

    2. Llodza

      You are correct that we lack being innovative. However, it is the government which makes us not innovate because they do not encourage innovation through support or giving inventors some leeway. An innovation from the country will be frowned upon.

  4. Anonymous

    Just imagine if all roof in towns are solar panels!

    1. Anonymous

      there are now solar powered tiles and this is a good opportunity for will be enterpreneurs but unfortunately majority of young people will sit,wait and complain after.The corrupt wicknells of this world are already making moves based on this news.

      1. Interest

        Wicknell should first finish the project he started lol….

        1. tkd

          warume warume haaaaa futi solar

  5. Sagitarr

    Strangely, not a word about the disconnection of all those owing Zesa, including ED himself. Zesa should switch off everyone in debt regardless, as a starting point. All these other moves should be complementary…debt collection first not last!!
    Why can’t we revert to the old Electricity Supply Commission minus all these other money and efficiency-drainer outfits that abound?

    1. Anonymous

      I totally agree.They should all be switched off

    2. Llodza

      You should have asked yourself why there are still consumers who have no prepaid meters. It is the leaders who want to get free electricity. That is the reason they have no meters at their homes and businesses. Surely if every household was to go for solar they’d follow and tax us so that we buy electricity for them.

  6. Anonymous

    Yes yes true areas in the region 4,5 ,like chiredzi,beitbridge,Gokwe,bulawayo need massive investment in Solar farming to support institutions like hospitals and energy for water pumping.

  7. tiki

    Solar has always been duty free except that Zimra officials sometimes just levy duty anyway. WHat is needed is expansion to include Gel/AGM and Lithium-ion batteries, and any other batteries needed for solar purposes. Exide must themselves actually support this move as they do not have solid enough lead-and acid-free batteries for this market. To continue with the current rare so-called batteries short changes the nation. We need scale and we need world class quality that everyone else is enjoying across our borders. So – include everything required for a decent solar system in the duty exemption, that will help households and businesses, including agriculture which we badly need to get going.

  8. tiki

    I”f you are importing the solar system as a set that solar panel, batteries and inverter. The whole system might be treated as a complete home solar system attracting 0% duty and only pay 15% VAT. If you import only Solar batteries, expect to pay 20% duty plus 15% VAT of if you are a private importer you pay 40% flat rate of duty.” NOW, WHAT IS A PRIVATE IMPORTER AND WHY DO WE HAVE THAT ON ZIMRA SITE? Most homes are private individuals tight? Why , why? Someone please share the full SI if there is any? We need to see movement and with this silly ambiguity we are at stand still.

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