Thuli Petroleum Faces Fine for Selling Substandard Petrol in Harare. Thuli Petroleum, a local fuel station, has been fined US$400 by a magistrate for violating fuel quality standards by selling petrol that did not meet the required specifications.
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) lodged a complaint against Thuli Petroleum after receiving reports from motorists who had purchased and used the substandard petrol from the fuel station.
Gladmore Rongai, a fuel technician from ZERA, conducted an inspection of the service station on December 29, 2023. During the visit, Rongai collected fuel samples for analysis in ZERA’s mobile laboratory. The test results revealed that the petrol was contaminated and did not adhere to the E20 ZWS964 Part 4 standard.
Subsequently, Rongai sealed and labeled the fuel pump containing the contaminated petrol and secured the samples at the site using official ZERA seals.
In response, the magistrate imposed a fine on Thuli Petroleum and ordered them to purify the petrol before resuming sales. The fuel station was represented by Christoffel B. O’neil, a resident of 1 Uplands Close Highlands Harare, during the proceedings.
The magistrate emphasized that Thuli Petroleum had no authority to sell contaminated petrol, highlighting the importance of adhering to fuel quality regulations.