MARTIN MAWAYA
BULAWAYO– The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has stepped up its efforts to curb the smuggling of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders by engaging an engineering firm to destroy over 300 confiscated cylinders.
“We have recently awarded a contract to an engineering firm in Harare to destroy 300 LPG cylinders recovered from illegal fillers, and we want to intensify this operation to combat the smuggling of these cylinders, which we term ‘orphans’ since their origin is not known,” said ZERA’s petroleum infrastructure engineer, Andrew Guri.
During a media engagement in Bulawayo on Wednesday, Guri revealed that the regulatory authority has run out of storage space for the illegally imported cylinders, which pose safety threats to both users and the energy industry.
He added that the origins of these “orphan” cylinders are untraceable, making it difficult to identify and resolve issues effectively.
The engineer emphasized that cylinders must be maintained by wholesalers, who are responsible for checking for leakages, proper usage, and damages.
However, this is not feasible for smuggled cylinders, as their origins cannot be legally traced.
“Retailers can purchase cylinders from registered wholesalers, but they remain the property of the wholesalers. There can be arrangements for semi-purchase or full purchase, similar to how Coca-Cola operates, where one pays a deposit for a bottle but it remains Coca-Cola’s property,” he explained.
Guri noted that ZERA has stopped issuing licenses to retailers without a relationship with registered wholesalers to curb the smuggling of cylinders.
He highlighted that ZERA aims to direct legitimate LPG operators to licensed wholesalers who can provide branded cylinders that they can fully control.
The smuggling of LPG cylinders has been on the rise in Zimbabwe, coinciding with the country’s high uptake of the fuel amid incessant power cuts.
The 48-kilogram LPG cylinders are particularly vulnerable to smuggling, as they are readily accessible to illegal vendors.
According to ZERA, Zimbabwe’s LPG consumption has risen from under 1 kilogram per person per year in 2012 to around 4.5 kilograms per person currently, reflecting a significant progress in the adoption of cleaner energy.
However, the increase in LPG usage has also led to a rise in fatalities, with 209 people died due to LPG-related incidents and 179 non-fatal incidents resulting in permanent injuries from 2015 to 2022.
In 2023, a total of 11 accidents were recorded, with 9 occurring at unlicensed LPG retailers and 2 involving domestic users.
To address this, ZERA has trained 420 LPG fillers nationwide, with the majority (67%) from Harare, followed by Manicaland (16%), Bulawayo (12%), and Mashonaland West (5%).
The regulatory authority aims to increase training for fillers in remote areas to ensure the safe handling of LPG cylinders and prevent further accidents.
