Last Friday, people stampeded Zesa Holdings offices in long and winding queues to buy tokens in the mistaken belief that the cheaper lifeline tariff for November could only be purchased on the day.
To ease the confusion, Zesa published a notice in which they told their customers not to panic because the lifeline tariff is available on all days as long as this will be their first purchase that month.
"ZETDC would like to advise that there is no promotion or any cheaper electricity to be obtained by purchasing on the first day of the month, as is being reported in the social media," it said, adding:
"The correct position is that customers can buy the 1st 50 units at 41c, the next 150 units (51-200) at 91c and any other purchases beyond the 200 units are charged at $3.87. These charges apply at any day of a given month, be it the 1st, 10th, 25th as long as it is their first purchase of electricity tokens that month.
"Customers are encouraged to purchase their electricity at various third party vending channels available throughout the country for their convenience."
This comes as Zesa is implementing a stepped domestic tariff, a costing formula which promotes fair usage, where the amount a household pays will be directly proportional to the scale of power usage.
Power purchases have been stratified into three tariff bands. Because access to electricity is considered an essential need, there is a heavily subsidised first component which is referred to as the lifeline tariff.
