By Sukoluhle Ndlovu
The sale of counterfeit and substandard electrical products has raised safety concerns, with the Zimbabwe Electrical Contractors Association (ZECA) calling for tougher laws to regulate electrical work and curb the circulation of fake equipment.
Speaking at a workshop in Harare, ZECA secretary general Moreblessing Gashu said cables, switchgear, conductors and circuit breakers on the market were failing to meet technical specifications set by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA).
Gashu called for legislation to criminalise unsupervised electrical work and tighter controls on the sale of electrical products to protect consumers.
“As ZECA we’re calling for the introduction of legislation that criminalises unsupervised work by electricians so as to maintain required standards. There also has to be tight control around selling electrical products so as to eradicate counterfeit products,” he said.
ZERA chief executive officer Edington Mazambani said the authority was drafting regulations to control the sale and distribution of counterfeit electrical products amid growing concerns over the quality of equipment on the market.
“We are currently seized with the drafting of regulations to control the sale and distribution of electrical counterfeit products as there has been a growing concern over the quality of equipment on the market,” said Mazambani.
The concerns also extend to solar products, with consumers being duped into buying counterfeit panels sold under the names of established manufacturers.
Consumer Protection Commission monitoring and evaluation officer Christobell Mauhy said the commission had received numerous complaints from consumers who unknowingly purchased counterfeit solar products.
“As a commission we have received plenty complaints from the public who unsuspectingly purchased counterfeit solar products after being duped by sellers,” said Mauhy.
Some of the complaints involved solar panels sold as Canadian Solar products that were not genuine.
The workshop discussions highlighted the need for stronger oversight of electrical products and installations as consumers increasingly rely on electrical equipment and solar energy to meet their power needs.
ZERA said it would continue testing solar products while awaiting the legislation needed to enforce quality standards.
