ZPC Hwange Employees Arrested Over $3.8 Million Theft

Two senior ZPC Hwange employees have been arrested over a US $3.8 million asset theft caught on CCTV (image source)

Two senior staff at the Zimbabwe Power Company’s (ZPC) Hwange coal-fired station were arrested on 16 September after CCTV footage exposed the theft of company assets valued at approximately US $3.8 million. The suspects—Stores Officer Tawanda Mhaka and Loss Control Assistant Ruth Chiyani—appeared before Hwange Magistrates’ Court and were remanded to 26 September, while a third accomplice, Hardlife Zimwenje, remains at large.

In the early hours of 22 and 23 August, security cameras in the Turbine Hall captured a haulage truck being loaded with 15 electric motors, 48 tonnes of brass pipes, and an industrial metal container without proper authorisation or paperwork. Prosecutors say Chiyani oversaw the unauthorised removal and failed to produce invoices, while Mhaka ordered a boilermaker to cut bulky items into smaller sections to facilitate transport on hired trucks arranged by Zimwenje.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), investigators recovered signed removal-authority forms bearing the defendants’ signatures, bolstering a case they describe as “economic sabotage” of critical national infrastructure.

“This case serves as a clear example of the accountability required of those entrusted with national assets. Economic sabotage will be thoroughly investigated and those responsible will face serious consequences,” the NPA said in a statement.

A senior power-sector security adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity, warned that systemic vulnerabilities in ZPC’s asset-management and access-control systems have made the station a target for organised theft.

“The ease with which high-value spares were loaded onto trucks points to collusion at multiple levels,” the adviser said. “Prompt action is needed to shore up digital locks, perimeter patrols and employee vetting.”

Hwange, Zimbabwe’s largest coal-fired plant with an installed capacity of 920 MW, provides roughly half of the nation’s electricity supply. The loss of spares at this site compounds frequent breakdowns and load-shedding that already cost the economy an estimated US $1 billion annually in lost output. In 2022, ZPC began scanning all incoming and outgoing loads via Asycuda-linked RFID tags, but insiders say implementation has been slow and underfunded.

The stolen assets included 15 electric motors (various capacities), 48 tonnes of brass piping, and one industrial metal container. Thefts of critical components have dogged ZPC for years, with past incidents uncovered through whistle-blower tips rather than surveillance data. In late 2024, missing turbine bearings triggered a six-week outage, underscoring the fragility of Zimbabwe’s power-generation infrastructure in the absence of robust security protocols.

Amid chronic power shortages, the government signed a US $455 million refurbishment concession with Jindal Africa in September 2025 to overhaul six ageing Hwange units over four years—work meant to raise unit-availability rates above 85 percent and reduce blackouts. But equipment theft threatens those targets. Industry analysts note that insurers may hike premiums on ZPC’s assets if security lapses persist, driving up the long-term cost of the refurbishment programme.

ZPC’s 2024 annual report highlighted a ZWL 3 billion shortfall in maintenance funding, leaving many spares unprocured and stores vulnerable. The utility has since sought to automate its stores management and introduce multi-factor authentication for asset-release approvals, but budget constraints have stalled full roll-out.

Mhaka and Chiyani will return to court on 26 September for a bail hearing, while law-enforcement agencies continue hunting Zimwenje. The ZPC board has ordered an immediate audit of all stores nationwide and instructed management to fast-track installation of vehicle-mounted CCTV and GPS-tracking devices on haulage contractors. Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Energy plans hearings in October to probe infrastructure-security gaps.

As Zimbabwe grapples with power deficits, this high-profile theft case may prove a litmus test for the government’s commitment to safeguarding strategic assets and accelerating reforms in the energy sector.