Earlier today we wrote an article regarding ZETDCs prepaid token system being down. ZETDC has issued a statement addressing the situation.
In its statement, ZETDC confirmed the sentiments echoed by our community that the delays are due to congestion caused by people attempting to buy tokens en masse on the first day of the month.
Prepaid Electricity Vending System
ZETDC would like to apologise to its valued customers for the long turnaround periods in the processing of transactions in the purchase of electricity.
ZETDC advises that delays being experienced by customers are due to high volumes of token purchases during the beginning of the month and are putting pressure on the system, the position that we are in the process of addressing.
ZETDC official statement
Consumers believe electricity is cheaper during certain times of the month…
As indicated in our earlier article, ZETDC already debunked the myth that electricity tokens are cheaper on the first day of the month but they reiterated this in their statement today:
ZETDC further advises customers that the lifeline tariff is enjoyed once a month when they make the first token purchase of units ANY DAY during any calendar month, therefore it is not true that elecrticity is cheaper when purchases are done within the first five days of the month.
ZETDC official statement
Solution
Because ZETDC has noted that mentioning that the tariff is not cheaper at the beginning of the month is not effective, one of the changes that will be effected is to indicate how the units being purchased are charged on the prepaid voucher:
In order to assist customers, prepayment vouchers will indicate how the units being purchased are charged and the bands to which they belong, in compliance with the provisions set out by the regulator.
ZETDC official statement
52 comments
20th Century And You can’t even buy electricity…. It’s nothing to do with the 1st week being cheap their lousy 200 units per household will be all out way before the 1st we will be just trying to keep our fridges On..
Its 21st are u stuck in the 90s or something
Successfully purchased mine and recharged use
https://cs.ownai.co.zw/zesa.php
Kuita kumukira kiki
Thank you, I have also successfully purchased mine using that link.
Hello I bought mine using that link also but haisati yasenda token .what dd you do
How did u get your token
ownai took my money and no token has been recieved. they also have zero customer service.
i wouldnt advise.
I’ve just been Debited for Token and NO TOKEN 😡
How do we get hold of them
Can’t get Cell No provided?
use messenger
How did you get your token.i been waiting for sometime now
Bought mine but didn’t receive token. How did you get yours?
The system went off after it got congested
this doesn’t work 2000 has been deducted from my account and no token received.
@Gilbert GB you have said it all. It’s not like we buy on the first day to get cheap electricity. The truth is that we would have stayed in the dark for days since your 200units are not enough to last the whole month. Those 200 units get exhausted maybe first 10days if you are using electricity for cooking. Otherwise if not it will last something like 20days. Meaning about 20 or 10 remaining days we will be in the dark since we can’t afford the $4.61 per unit charge thereafter. The best solution is therefore for ZESA to increase the first batch to say 350units. I’m sure 350 units can last a month for most households. Another solution is the ZESA to upgrade their computers. Imagine using a Pentium 4 with dual core @ 2.6GHz and 4G RAM. It won’t do nix. Pliz ZESA buy fast processing machines: Core i9 machines, Xeon processors with 18 core or higher will be ideal for such tasks. Another thing is to make use of fast NAS orvserver systems. Stop using 1GbE LAN connectivity. Invest in 10GbE or even 40GbE LAN networks. If you know you know. Thank me later.
1Gbe is more than sufficient for their petty needs. The inefficiencies are most likely withing their human capital. This is not a resource hungry system. It’s not like it’s simultaneously processing a million requests. I bet 2 pentium 4s would handle this with ease, lol.
@The king,fer , ava @Mike vakutaura vat
I totally agree with you with regard to the measly 200 units, time for them to focus on getting realistic instead of looking at the amount of money generated…. enough theft – I’m so sick of it!!!!
I agree with you Mike. The mass purchase is not about us being simple minded enough to believe that 200 units is cheaper in the 1st few days but rather because once that first 200 units is done in the first two weeks of the month we are literally buying just enough power to get through a couple of days at a time. Zesa should up the initial allotment of units to at least 350 or 400 units because that second tariff that gives us 20 units per ZW$100 is a huge rip off guys come now. But above all else why is a national supplier of power that knows full well that they have a large customer base not setting up a platform that can handle mass volumes of purchases?
Mike Rukwana yu are ryt broo vari kuti mhanyisa makarimwa vanhu Ava
USELESS ZESA as usual! They never have enough capacity ever – electricity, service, internet…..
Just bought but no token yet.
kana matoken enyu auya mutiudzewo
received mine after 20mins
Thank you this worked for me. Got my token in less than 5 minutes
Just received mine. Needs patience only.
U received yours after how long?
Ownai reversed my money. Those who bought tokens did you use Ownai
how
Ownai doesn’t work. Money taken but no token!!
“Support” number just rings. Emails to their support email address get bounced back. Looks like a scam to me!
can l have their support number it took my money no token
Pane atengawo just now here ne ownai akawana token titengewo?? Zvakutyisa izvi unogona kunyura lol
hatihwini gentleman, tingakura hr tikadai
i used ownai n money deducted @1225pm and its now 1839pm and still no token
Bought using Ownai in the morning but still haven’t received any token. Zesa must do something
I bought using ownai how many have received token for those who bought on ownai
Just use instapay
Instapayweb.vas.co.zw
Not working instapay.
I haven’t received my token at ownai please I want my money back
Ownai is just a scam if only l had known
How do I retrieve my token I bought using sasai
Bought token for z$1000. Ownai took the money yesterday evening. No token received for 10 Hours now.
I bought on June 2 around 1pm, not token received until now – 21hours later. I used Ecocash. No reversal from them. Zesa has failed. In other countries people get fired for such poor services.
for those who bought but have not received their token, you can visit the Zedtc website on the self help portal, use the view token option. If the transaction went through then your token number will appear once you input your meter number.
This option has helped me many times.
https://instapayweb.vas.co.zw/
i used instapay and had no problems recieved token within 2 minutes
Hi Mirriam how do you get your token after using instapayweb
Why are you insulting us? Most people work with BUDGETS and have more money at the beginning of the month and so plan to pay all bills in the first week of each month.
This is poor PR…blaming consumers for buying at the beginning of the month….instead of ADMITTING the stupid system lacks capacity.
As Fortune Chasi admitted….the whole COUNTRY should be able to buy on the same day if they want to. UPGRADE needed!
Bought mine now and i got my token in less than 5 minutes
I tried to buy twice using cbz mobile app but failed and on reversal I was charged zwl $5 each given a total reversal charge of zwl $10.
Magetsi haasi kukwana. Full stop
I have been debited for a token but still haven’t received it
People are really sad and frustrated about this. I hope this will be fixed and the company should update their customers or make their system run smoothly to prevent this happening again. Jonathan from https://redbytesite.com/