Trouble Buying Electricity Tokens? ZESA Prepaid System Down

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ZESA billboard

A number of people have been running into challenges trying to buy electricity tokens this morning and last night. It seems the challenge is on ZEDTCs part as Paynow have put up a notice on their website informing customers of the challenges

Increased errors from ZETDC

We’re currently receiving a greater than normal number of error responses from ZETDC, which may result in your purchase being flagged for our support staff to attend and can take up to 48 hours to resolve.

Please only proceed if you’re aware of this and are prepared for it.

Warning on the Paynow site

It seems the system isn’t entirely dysfunctional with some community group members saying they were able to purchase electricity tokens using EcoCash and OneMoney earlier today.

ZETDC hasn’t officially said anything through their social media channels which defeats the purpose of having these channels if you don’t then communicate challenges with consumers.

Update: Some comments from the community suggest this occurs pretty often on the 1st day of the month, when people buy electricity in their numbers due to a myth circulating that electricity is cheaper on the first day of the month. ZESA debunked the claims months ago but it seems consumers still believe it to be true.

49 comments

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  1. Ten Musoni

    It’s easier for consumers to use the calendar month. People get paid at the of the month and it’s also easy to monitor.

  2. T. Mashava

    Well, I have peend an article on the number of options available for buying ZESA Tokens here: https://bit.ly/Ways2BuyZesa

    1. SM

      Thanks for the article..Zimpayments was good..will continue using it

  3. Ed

    It is not a myth. Any top up during the month if you have exhausted the cheaper first 159kw costs upwards of 4bucks per kwh.

    1. Mikey

      It is a myth. It’s not about the first day of the month alright, buh the first purchase of the month. Some people just don’t listen buh it’s also not the case of getting ur power on the first day of the month thinkin its cheaper, ZESA is just clever enough to realise our demand and buying trends so by the end of the month we’d be getting power just to get us the beginning of the new month. Therefore they’re profiting more on that norm and trust me they’re.

      1. moxie

        true

  4. Taa

    By now TechZim u should know that what puts pressure on the 1st of every month is the fact that most people would hv exhausted their 200units

    1. Sir Chifamba

      Thats true Taa, if your 200 units got finished on the 28th (as an example), you just buy very few units for lighting to push you through to 1 of the next month. Such on the 1st you all want to buy power because you have been using firewood. Period

      1. wokenman

        Yaah Techzim know this already – they just wanna keep insulting people as if they are the amazing educated ones. Makes them feel smarter I guess.

  5. The Empress

    Obviously zesa wants to jack up prices, but they are trying to figure out how to justify increase considering that government exchange rate has not gone up

  6. Mr Gee

    ZETDC this is Unacceptable to say the least , how can the electionic platform be down for so long at a time we all should be enforcing social distancing.. the ques at zesa today were shocking! Furthermore not even an update or apology to its valued consumers.

  7. Diva

    I don’t think it’s entirely a myth as people exhaust the cheaper options around month-end and will all wait to buy cheaper units at the start of every month!

  8. Brian Mubvumbi

    Failure by these providers to provision resources for their servers it boils down to iops, cpu network load balancing.

    1. Anonymous

      How customers does Zesa have which type of server do they use which can’t process tokens in mass.

  9. ALEX

    This happens at the begining of each month and I do not believe that their servers will be congested. Its a way of making people go to Zesa so that they get cash from walk in clients so what they simply do is turn off their serves or just unplug the network cable. This is not new to the IT world

    1. wokenman

      It’s congestion – you CAN buy ZESA easy of the first of the month if you wake up early enough. Ukamukira 5am it works perfect. By 8am it’s overloaded. It will keep happening until they increase the systems capacity. It’s not about cash coz you can swipe at all ZESA branches.

  10. Michael Mudimbu

    Ended up using Ownai, the process was flawless there.

    1. Deon Itai Melisha MANJORO

      I used ownai this morning but my token is not there.Any advice

      1. Anonymous

        Used Ownai but I haven’t got my token any advice

        1. Michael Mudimbu

          try using zesa’s self service portal https://selfservice.zetdc.co.zw/

      2. Anonymous

        Haven’t received my token as well yet no reversal in my ecocash

        1. Michael Mudimbu

          try using zesa’s self service portal https://selfservice.zetdc.co.zw/

      3. Anonymous

        Even I haven’t received it any news about it

        1. Michael Mudimbu

          try using zesa’s self service portal https://selfservice.zetdc.co.zw/

    2. Pearl

      No token was delivered on my phone…so I don’t know how good it is yet.

      1. Michael Mudimbu

        try using zesa’s self service portal https://selfservice.zetdc.co.zw/

      2. Simelokuhle sibanda

        ‘m yet to receive my token too ,hv been waiting since yesterday

  11. Nono

    Come on zesa you can do better than that, what shoddy service.

    1. Brian

      Have bought electricity and l have entered a token number but the electricity is not coming on

  12. Anonymous

    Zesa mandirwadza kurara ndisina magetsi

  13. Mark

    Ownai chowed my moola twice. Then l tried with instapay, still the token never came.

  14. Anonymous

    The self service portal is not working

  15. Anonymous

    Try ownai just bought mine some minutes ago.

  16. Sharon

    I bought a token using ownai yesterday I haven’t received the token as yet. The ZETDC self help sight is not working. How do I do a reversal so I can try again

  17. Lubelihle Sibanda

    Selfcare not working

  18. Lubelihle Sibanda

    Selfcare link not working guys please help

  19. Mercy Kazingizi

    Brought a token on Saturday using ecocash but the token hasn’t been sent yet

  20. Adrenan mukomberanwa

    Payed my zesa token using ecocash ny my money was deducted but still no token sended to me

  21. Anonymous

    I have purchased but no token is delivered on my phone and check through ZETDC selfservice portal- still not reflecting. What do I do?

  22. Armlet Muzvidziwa

    I paid my zesa token on 01 August 2020 but I haven’t received anything as yet. Can you please assist me. My cell phone number is 0773913950.

    1. Anonymous

      I paid for electricity through ZBBANK on 01082020 up to now have not received the token.

  23. mary

    haven’t received my token yet and no reversal on my account

  24. Victor M N Silunde

    I have been trying to buy ZESA tokens but in vain. This has been submitted twice and am scared tht it might deduct twice if it updates. My ZESA metre number is 54120097685

  25. Faith

    Good afternoon, paid my zesa token today , and have not yet received my token and any reversal, may you kindly assist, my cell number 0777328440, meter number 37125915928

  26. Tafadzwa

    Please i have not seen my token but it was succesful transaction

  27. Mister

    Paid for token .. received token ..but token isn’t working… Meter number was correct

  28. Judith Jiki

    failing to use token number 69693522782228246708

  29. word unscrambler

    Fascinating, worth a try!

  30. Siziba

    Bought electricity no token money deducted

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