Leopard Rock Hotel Temporarily Shuts Down Due to Power Outages. Leopard Rock Hotel, a popular tourist destination in Zimbabwe’s picturesque Vumba region, has been forced to halt its operations due to an extended period of power outages.
According to a statement from the hotel, it has been without electricity for over 50 days, and its generators are failing to sustain operations. Unfortunately, the hotel will not be able to offer any Valentine’s Day specials this year.
The statement further revealed that Leopard Rock Hotel may have to close its doors for the second time in seven months until a reliable and affordable power supply is restored. Guests had to be relocated to different sections after the hotel’s 200 KVA generator broke down on Tuesday. The hotel has already spent over $180,000 on fuel in 2023 to keep running.
The hotel management blamed the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) for the inconsistent power supply, stating that they have not received any power from the grid in 2024. The statement also expressed concerns about the financial strain the situation has caused, questioning whether they can remain silent and risk potential consequences.
ZETDC responded to the situation, acknowledging the fault and promising to restore power to the Vumba area. They explained that the power disruption was caused by theft and vandalism of electrical infrastructure, which occurred in late December. Approximately 1.5 kilometers of an 11-kilovolt line supplying the area was stolen, and heavy rains caused 12 poles to fall, necessitating replacement. ZETDC also reported an incident of transformer vandalism in Vumba, leading to the arrest of two individuals facing criminal charges.
ZETDC assured customers that the necessary materials had been sourced to rectify the damage, and restoration works had commenced. They anticipated that service would be restored to the affected areas by the middle of the following week. The utility also expressed concern about the rising incidents of vandalism and theft, stating that they are struggling to keep up with the replacement of stolen power lines and transformers. In 2023 alone, 1,569 cases of vandalism and theft were reported, resulting in 172 arrests and 33 convictions.
