HWANGE – A Total service station in Hwange’s Baobab neighbourhood has been fined $500 by the Hwange Magistrates’ Court for breaching fuel blending regulations.
The court heard that on December 27, 2024, the service station unlawfully blended unleaded petrol with more than 25 percent ethanol, exceeding the legally mandated ratio of 80 petrol to 20 percent ethanol.
The improperly blended fuel was valued at $17,880.
This comes as COMOIL was last week fined US$250 by the Lupane Magistrates’ Court after being found guilty of selling petrol with ethanol content exceeding the legally allowed limit.
The company violated E20 ZWS 964 standards, which cap ethanol content at 20 percent. The breach was uncovered during a routine inspection by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) on December 6, 2024.
Samples collected from COMOIL’s Lupane station revealed ethanol levels above 50 percent. The Zimbabwe Standards Authority (SAZ) later verified the findings, leading to tanks containing the non-compliant fuel being sealed.
The cases highlight ongoing concerns among motorists, who often complain about fuel quality and its impact on vehicle performance.
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