Tanaka Chare
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has red-flagged Gweru and Kwekwe as hot spots for the dilution of fuel enroute to either Bulawayo or Harare with Paraffin by unscrupulous traders.
The Midlands province was also warned against constructing service stations at undesignated points and without due diligence.
These remarks were made by ZERA engineers at a stakeholder and awareness workshop held in Gweru to conscientise the public and business operators on the laws that guide how businesses should conduct their operations without putting the lives of other members of society at risk.
The ZERA engineers spoke about the dangers involved in draining fuel from a tanker and risks fuel poses to the end user.
The public was enligthened about the risks that are associated with using “ORPHAN CYLINDERS” which are cylinders made by unknown/unreputable suppliers for substandard cylinders.
ZERA urged liquid petroleum gas traders to use recommended shed made of steel rods and wood to allow a combustion to occur. Gweru and Kwekwe have become the central points for overnight illegal operations following reports of fuel diluting and smuggling.
ZERA Regional Compliance Officer Mr Hugh Mlauzi, said most of the illegal operations are being done in Gweru and Kwekwe.
The cases happen when a truck of fuel from Harare to Bulawayo and the driver parks in industrial places, either in Gweru or Kwekwe overnight, where the illegal operations of mixing anything that adds to fuel, like paraffin in petrol or diesel then they proceed with their journey to Bulawayo.
Trucks coming from Botswana and South Africa via Bulawayo and Masvingo will end up in Gweru for the dilution of fuel as well as smuggling.
ZERA has put in place some mitigatory measures to curb this arising problem by having a chemical engineer.
” We have chemical engineers who are working tirelessly, especially in the hotspots of fuel dilutions and smuggling, who visit every fuel station to take a sample of their petrol and diesel and test it to see if it is within the parameters of what is expected regularly. This is the reason why fuel operates irregularly due to them not meeting the ZERA standards,” Mlauzi explained.
The Regional Compliance Officer urged people to report such illegal operations to the local authorities.
“As ZERA, we encourage people to report such issues to the responsible authorities.”
Meanwhile, there is the smuggling of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders from neighbouring countries.
ZERA refers to the smuggled LPG cylinders as orphans in the sense that if accidents occur, it is difficult for the victims to get compensated.
Mlauzi highlighted the mushrooming of Illegal LPG retail sites. There are a lot of illegal LPG retail sites, especially on bus terminals and tuck shops, which are not safe. We are going to work hand in hand with EMA and the City of Gweru to try to curb such issues.
ZERA encourages LPG retailers to register for the licenses, certificate of occupation from city councils, fire clearance from the chief fire officer, EMA clearance certificate after going through all these processes, one obtains a LPG retail licence and $115 is paid for the license annually.
