Staff Writer
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has intensified enforcement against illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) operators, apprehending 102 illegal LPG fillers during a compliance blitz conducted in and around Harare this month.
According to ZERA, the enforcement operation was aimed at strengthening public safety and ensuring compliance with statutory requirements governing the handling, filling and sale of LPG.
The regulator said the operation covered several areas, including Mabvuku and Tafara, Chitungwiza, Makoni, Unit L, NOP, Kuwadzana, Cold Comfort, Warren Park, Kambuzuma, Rugare, Dzivarasekwa and Epworth.
The figures released by ZERA show that 18 operators were apprehended in Mabvuku and Tafara on September 3, while another 18 were arrested in Chitungwiza, Makoni, Unit L and NOP on September 7.
A further 20 were apprehended in Epworth on September 8, followed by 24 in Dzivarasekwa on September 9 and 22 in Kuwadzana, Cold Comfort, Warren Park, Kambuzuma and Rugare on September 10, bringing the total to 102.
ZERA said the enforcement drive was intended to protect the public, property and the environment from risks associated with the unregulated handling and filling of LPG.
The authority said its crackdown was part of its broader mandate to enforce safety and quality standards within the energy sector.
“LPG is a safe and clean form of energy. However, if used incorrectly, the product can be hazardous,” ZERA has previously said, stressing the importance of proper training and compliance among LPG operators.
ZERA regulations require businesses involved in the wholesale or retail of LPG to operate under licences issued by the regulatory authority.
The regulator states that no person may conduct an LPG wholesaling or retailing business, or related activities, without a valid licence. Operators are also required to meet a range of safety, environmental and local-authority requirements before being licensed.
These include obtaining local-authority approval for the site, complying with applicable environmental requirements, securing fire clearance and undergoing a mandatory pre-licensing inspection by ZERA.
Licensed retail operators must also have suitable facilities, appropriately trained personnel, adequate firefighting equipment and compliant LPG cylinders. ZERA’s licensing conditions further prohibit the filling or use of damaged, tampered-with or overdue cylinders.
ZERA maintains a database of licensed LPG operators, while its official records show that the LPG sector has expanded significantly in Zimbabwe, with consumption rising from about 5 million kilogrammes in 2010 to 60 million kilogrammes in 2022.
The authority has also previously conducted training programmes for LPG fillers and operators, saying continuous training is important in improving safety and reducing accidents in the sector.
The latest enforcement operation signals ZERA’s continued focus on bringing informal operators into the regulated LPG sector while protecting consumers and communities from the dangers associated with unsafe gas handling.
ZERA has encouraged LPG businesses to regularise their operations and comply with the applicable licensing and safety requirements.