A joint effort by City of Harare’s (CoH) Fire Brigade, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) and Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to shutdown the illegal gas trade has resulted in many traders moving to conduct their business in secret.
As the supply of electricity from ZESA becomes ever more unreliable, gas has become a favourite alternative energy source in households for heating and cooking. Subsequently, illegal traders have proliferated across the city. Most of them haveset up temporary work stations on street corners, though a few operate at rented facilities, mostly at car sales and garages. Concern about the safety of such activity has driven authorities to act.
CoH public relations manager Michael Chideme says, “Illegal gas trading has mushroomed within the city, mostly in the high density suburbs. These unsafe operations pose a risk to residents in case of a fire outbreak.” He said that the joint operation is being conducted in order to bring sanity to the gas industry. The action has closed down some suppliers.
Chideme said that while gas wholesalers have been quick to regularise their operations, many retailers have lagged behind. “Out of the 30 retailers closed down, only eight managed to regularise. While out of a total of seven wholesalers only one failed to regularise,” he revealed.
A local gas trader who preferred anonymity said, “Licensing fees imposed by authorities are too high considering our very low profit margins.” To avoid detection, he has removed advertising from his work space.“Only my regular customers and those who hear about my business through word of mouth are coming to buy gas,” he explained.
Council, through the Fire Brigade, charges annual fees to retailers of $800 for storage only, $100 for each dispensing nozzle plus 15% value added tax (VAT). Wholesalers are charged $2,000 for bulk storage, $100 for each dispensing nozzle in addition to 15% VAT. Traders caught operating without a license face a $300 penalty.
Another trader (also choosing to remain nameless) who operates in the CBD said of the safety equipment costs, “Even if one sacrifices to pay the licensing fees, there are also fire department requirements which are expensive to meet.”
Gas sellers must construct a sturdy blast cage to exacting specifications using 25–50 mm angle iron bars and screens. The cage, according to Chideme who cited the law, must be sited “away from activity with potential to generate fire, sparks, static electricity, places of public assembly and high risk manufacturing purposes.” In addition, signage indicating no smoking or naked lights and fire point indicators must be visible, and two 9 litre water type fire extinguishers installed.
For bulk traders, tanks are to be erected in accordance with the Standard Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ)341 of 1972. “Tanks are supposed to be covered by a drencher system throughout, fed from municipal mains plus a supplementary water reservoir with an electric pump backed up by a diesel pump,” added Chideme. “Tanks are to be firmly secured to the ground by bolts or straps.”
He said a filling shed should be constructed with adequate ventilation and barriers must be constructed around the shed. The site must have separate ‘In’ and ‘Out’ for traffic, while an approved type of fire extinguisher is to be installed.
The trader Harare News spoke to in the CBD said that gas vending is her family’s sole source of income. “I’m not going to give it up because the government wants me to stop. It’s not like I’m stealing from someone. My business is really fair trade.
“High licensing fees on everything means the wealthy will keep on getting rich as they are the ones who can afford to set up businesses to government standards while us, the poor, will keep on toiling in our poverty,” she bemoaned.
These sentiments were also echoed by other vendors.
Hey! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any trouble with hackers?
My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing several weeks of hard work due to no data backup.
Do you have any methods to prevent hackers?
I am glad to be one of many visitants on this outstanding internet site (:, thankyou for putting up.
I have recently started a blog, the info you offer on this web site has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work.
Hey there, I think your blog might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Chrome, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, wonderful blog!
I like the valuable information you provide in your articles. I will bookmark your blog and check again here frequently. I am quite certain I will learn plenty of new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!
I will immediately clutch your rss feed as I can’t to find your e-mail subscription link or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please permit me understand so that I could subscribe. Thanks.
Lovely just what I was searching for.Thanks to the author for taking his clock time on this one.
I am constantly searching online for tips that can facilitate me. Thank you!
Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely well written article. I will be sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful info. Thanks for the post. I’ll definitely comeback.
You made some decent points there. I looked on the internet for the subject matter and found most guys will go along with with your website.
I like this site because so much utile stuff on here : D.
Hmm it looks like your website ate my first comment (it was super long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any tips for beginner blog writers? I’d genuinely appreciate it.
Hiya, I’m really glad I’ve found this info. Nowadays bloggers publish only about gossips and internet and this is actually frustrating. A good site with exciting content, that is what I need. Thanks for keeping this site, I will be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can not find it.
Howdy! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my old room mate! He always kept chatting about this. I will forward this page to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Many thanks for sharing!
I am not sure where you’re getting your info, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thanks for excellent info I was looking for this info for my mission.
I and my pals have been checking out the best tactics from your web blog and then the sudden came up with a terrible suspicion I never expressed respect to the site owner for them. My young boys happened to be for this reason passionate to study them and have now certainly been enjoying these things. Many thanks for actually being really accommodating and for considering variety of superb issues millions of individuals are really wanting to understand about. Our sincere regret for not expressing gratitude to you earlier.
Very interesting info !Perfect just what I was looking for!
We absolutely love your blog and find most of your post’s to be just what I’m looking for. Do you offer guest writers to write content for you personally? I wouldn’t mind writing a post or elaborating on some of the subjects you write related to here. Again, awesome website!
Really Appreciate this blog post, is there any way I can receive an alert email whenever you publish a new update?
Howdy just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The words in your content seem to be running off the screen in Internet explorer. I’m not sure if this is a formatting issue or something to do with internet browser compatibility but I thought I’d post to let you know. The layout look great though! Hope you get the issue resolved soon. Kudos
I will right away snatch your rss feed as I can’t find your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please let me recognise in order that I could subscribe. Thanks.
Thank you for another magnificent post. Where else could anyone get that type of info in such an ideal way of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and I am on the look for such information.
I’ve recently started a website, the info you offer on this web site has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time & work.
What i don’t realize is in reality how you’re now not actually a lot more well-favored than you might be right now. You’re so intelligent. You know therefore considerably with regards to this topic, made me personally believe it from numerous various angles. Its like women and men aren’t fascinated except it is one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs excellent. At all times care for it up!
As soon as I found this web site I went on reddit to share some of the love with them.
hello!,I like your writing very much! share we communicate more about your article on AOL? I need a specialist on this area to solve my problem. Maybe that’s you! Looking forward to see you.
Thanks , I have just been looking for info about this subject for a while and yours is the best I have came upon till now. However, what in regards to the bottom line? Are you certain about the source?
What¦s Taking place i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I have found It positively helpful and it has helped me out loads. I’m hoping to give a contribution & assist different customers like its aided me. Good job.
Some genuinely prize articles on this internet site, saved to fav.
Hi, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your website in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, fantastic blog!
You have remarked very interesting points! ps decent website . “Where can I find a man governed by reason instead of habits and urges” by Kahlil Gibran.
Hey! Do you know if they make any plugins to safeguard against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any suggestions?
Keep up the superb work, I read few blog posts on this website and I believe that your site is very interesting and has got lots of wonderful information.
Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is a really well written article. I’ll make sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful info. Thanks for the post. I’ll certainly comeback.
I do agree with all the ideas you have presented in your post. They’re really convincing and will certainly work. Still, the posts are very short for newbies. Could you please extend them a bit from next time? Thanks for the post.
Hiya very cool web site!! Man .. Beautiful .. Superb .. I’ll bookmark your website and take the feeds additionally…I’m glad to find a lot of useful information right here in the submit, we need develop extra strategies in this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .
Great post. I am facing a couple of these problems.
Perfectly indited subject matter, Really enjoyed reading.
Hmm is anyone else having problems with the images on this blog loading? I’m trying to determine if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Nice read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he just bought me lunch because I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch!
Just desire to say your article is as astonishing. The clearness for your post is just nice and that i could suppose you are a professional in this subject. Fine together with your permission allow me to grab your RSS feed to stay updated with drawing close post. Thanks a million and please keep up the rewarding work.
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch because I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!
I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored material stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an edginess over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again as exactly the same nearly very often inside case you shield this increase.
I am so happy to read this. This is the type of manual that needs to be given and not the random misinformation that is at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this greatest doc.
Those are yours alright! . We at least need to get these people stealing images to start blogging! They probably just did a image search and grabbed them. They look good though!
Sweet website , super style and design, rattling clean and apply genial.
I like what you guys are up also. Such smart work and reporting! Keep up the superb works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my website :).