ERB defers ZESCO hearing to today

The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) postponed the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) hearing on the continued power outage the country if facing to today.

ERB Spokesperson Kwali Mfuni told ZANIS in press statement released in Lusaka yesterday that the meeting which was scheduled to take place had been postponed due to the national wide black out experienced yesterday and still persisting in some parts of the country.

The meeting has been rescheduled to allow the electricity utility to restore power to some parts of the country where power is still lacking.

ERB on monday, summoned ZESCO Management to explain what transpired and state the measures it has put in place following recommendations by the experts on the manner in 2006.

On Monday, the whole country was again plunged into total darkness barely 48 hours after electricity went off on Sunday.

Electricity went off monday at around 19 40 hours and was only restored around 23 hrs in some places while in Chilanga power was restored in the early hours of this morning but again there was another blackout. Other parts of the country are still without power.

On Sunday ZESCO management explained that the power black out the previous day was caused by a major system disturbance on Zambia’s high voltage network.

ZESCO managing Director Rodney Sisala said the system disturbance was extensive in nature and affected the system of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

ESCOM, South Africa’s power utility and major exporter of electricity to the Southern Africa region is reported to have cut down on its exports of power to meet that country’s local demand.

Apart from Zambia , Zimbabwe and Malawi equally experienced power failure on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) has threatened to ban its members from going underground to work until Government and the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) assures the Union that they will be no power outage to affect the Mining Companies again.

This follows another ZESCO power failure experienced in the country last night barely two days after several Miners were trapped on the Copperbelt following a national black out on Saturday.

ZANIS Kitwe reports that MUZ President Rayford Mbulu regretted that during last night’s black out, several miners were trapped underground at Mopani’s Mindola Shaft, six at Baluba in Luanshya and another six at Nchanga Mine.

Speaking at a press briefing held at Katilungu House in Kitwe today, Mr Mbulu said the continuous power outage by ZESCO was a threat to the lives of the Miners that were working underground .

The MUZ President who called on Government to fire ZESCO managing Director Rodney Sisala said there was need for Government to take very pragmatic steps to redress the ZESCO situation to safe guard the lives of Miners whose lives were highly threatened.

He noted that workers in the Mining Industry were more affected and at a greater risk because they work under strenuous unpredictable circumstances and environment.

He further said the unnecessary disruptions in power supply to the Mining Companies would cause a major catastrophe thus the Union would direct all unionised miners working in Mines that were being affected by the ZESCO power outage not to go underground until they got an assurance from ZESCO and Government that the Mines would not have a recurrence of the power altertage.

He added that the Union would not allow the lives of the Miners to continue being put at risk due to ZESCO’s inefficiency and gross negligence to duty.

The MUZ President who called on ZESCO managing Director to resign said there was need for Government to take very pragmatic steps to redress the ZESCO situation to safe guard the lives of Miners which was highly threatened.

Mr Mbulu said Mr Sisala and his management has failed the Zambian people hence the need for Government to fire them and put in a team that would deliver to the Zambian people.