Residents in Entumbane are struggling to adjust to the transition from post-paid to pre-paid electricity meters, as the change has affected their access to borehole water and street lighting.
The community boreholes were previously powered by electricity from the tower lights to pump water. However, this transition has resulted in increased water shortages from these alternative sources, especially as the city’s dam levels continue to decline.
This issue began after the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) migrated from post-paid to pre-paid meters in May 2024.
According to ZETDC, the migration involved switching from post-paid meters to pre-paid ones for households, tower lights, various companies, and other facilities using electricity. This move aimed to improve the utility’s cash flow and enhance operational efficiency by eliminating meter reading and removing estimated bills.
Speaking to CITE, the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) Organising Secretary for Ward 10, Cacisani Ndlovu, urged the city council to implement measures to assist residents.
Ndlovu explained that residents now have to negotiate with community members who own private boreholes, paying a fee that goes towards borehole maintenance.
“The situation is dire for us. Some residents have to negotiate with those who have private boreholes. These individuals typically have community gardening projects with boreholes that were drilled by private donors. A monthly fee is paid to cover the maintenance of these boreholes,” Ndlovu said.
“In some instances, councillors have introduced solutions. Some boreholes now have pre-paid meters, requiring residents to pay for electricity. However, at these boreholes, each family is limited to four buckets of water per day, which is insufficient given the long hours of water shedding.”
Ndlovu also noted that some residents cannot afford the fees and are forced to rely on unsafe water from streams.
“Unfortunately, some residents cannot afford these fees. They are using streams, but the water is not safe. The two most frequented streams are located near Entumbane High School and Nhlalo shops,” he said.
“We are appealing to the city council to find permanent solutions. They could either cover the costs for pre-paid meters to ensure the tower lights continue powering the boreholes or assist with maintaining the existing boreholes so all residents have free access to alternative water sources.”
