Fortune Chasi, Zimbabwe’s Energy Minster has thanked South Africa’s government for Eskom’s continued support over the years despite its unsettled debt to the cash-strapped utility.

“The one thing we want to say to the South African government is that we owe significant amounts of money and we are making efforts to repay the amount we owe to Eskom and we are grateful for the assistance we have received over time,” said Chasi. 

Zimbabwe has been in the news amid some regions plunging into 18-hour-long power cuts due to Kariba hydro dam low water levels.

“The challenges have been occasioned in part by the hydrological conditions of the Kariba dam which has receded significantly over the past months and has made it difficult for us to rely on it.”

Kariba was already operating at half capacity earlier in May with its generational power cut from 542 MW to 358 MW.

Chisa expressed that citizens not paying their electricity bill contributed to the country’s increasing debt.

“We have a utility that is owed a lot of money by consumers in Zimbabwe,”

“Yes, the challenges are significant but I am certain that we will get over them and we are working towards that,” Chasi concluded.