ENERGY and Power Development Minister, July Moyo, has said that the nation is grappling with transmission infrastructure due to vandalism, which has seen 6,000 transformers stolen.

Moyo was addressing Parliament this Wednesday while responding to a question by Murehwa South legislator, Noah Mangondo, during the Question-and-Answer session.

Mangondo demanded to know government's policy regarding replacing damaged or vandalised electricity transmission infrastructure, particularly for learning institutions and health centres, which at times go for months without electricity.

"The main problem we are facing is vandalism of infrastructure, and as we speak, 6,000 transformers were stolen countrywide. We have no capacity locally to produce enough to replace them timeously.

"For the wooden poles, the policy we now have is that we replace them with concrete ones which are more durable," Moyo told lawmakers.

The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) was previously quoted in media reports saying it lost electricity transmission and distribution equipment valued at over US$2 million to theft and vandalism between January and October 2024, a development that has left many communities already struggling with load-shedding in the dark.

According to the power utility, nearly 30 tonnes of copper conductors valued at US$600,000, along with 10 tonnes of aluminium conductors worth US$103,000, were stolen during this period.

Additionally, 1,543 litres of transformer oil valued at US$7,700 were siphoned off by thieves, while 136 transformers -- essential components in electricity transmission -- were vandalised, costing US$848,558.

Daring vandals also targeted bolts and nuts from high-voltage pylons, causing damage exceeding US$4,300.

In total, ZESA recorded 1,317 cases of theft and vandalism, resulting in losses valued at US$2,163,207.