BULAWAYO – Large parts of Bulawayo were without power for a second day on Friday following an electrical fault which, according to officials, damaged vital power distribution equipment.
Among the affected areas were the suburbs of Mahatshula North, Parklands, Northend, Woodville, Romney Park, Queens Park, Matsheumhlope, Entumbane, Pumula East, Cowdray Park, Njube, Makhandeni, Nkulumane, Gwabalanda, Barbourfields, Luveve, Mzilikazi, and many others.
Lloyd Jaji, the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution general manager for the Western Region General Manager said the power outage was caused by an electrical interruption in primary sub-stations affecting those areas.
“The switch gears which protect electrical systems from being destroyed in the event of an electric surge were damaged and we are trying to improvise,” he said.
Jaji said they were working “flat out” to restore power in the affected areas, but he could not guarantee when electricity would be switched back on.
Residents in the affected areas said power went off at around lunchtime on Thursday during a thunderstorm. By 11PM on Friday, it had still not been restored.
