In a desperate bid to curb corrupt activities at fuel stations , government has resorted to deploying undercover officials from the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) armed with hidden cameras, Energy minister Fortune Chasi has said.
Addressing journalists at a Post Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Chasi said he will be ‘naming and shaming’ guilty service stations and will not hesitate an en masse cancellation of licenses to culprits .
“The dynamics to the naming and shaming is to curb activities like hoarding and all sorts of corrupt activities at service stations.
“I came late because I was meeting ZERA and the authority will dispatch officials at service stations armed with hidden cameras to obtain evidence,” he said.
Chasi also noted that some of the service station owners leased the premises to other parties but it is their responsibility to maintain the goodwill of their brands.
“We understand that people maybe quick to judge when they see the names written on the service stations and yet the premises might be leased to someone else.
“In such cases we encourage owners to ensure that the people they lease out must comply to regulations and conditions because the blame will be shouldered on them,” he said.
“There are many honourable and honest men and women out there who are ready to run service stations in line with regulations,” he added.
The fuel crisis has been a thorn in the flesh and impediment in efforts by the new dispensation to resuscitate the economy.
