Harare Plunged into Darkness as Traffic Lights Fail
Several major intersections in Harare have been thrown into chaos after a widespread blackout hit traffic signals, tower lights, and streetlights, sparking safety fears and heavy congestion in the capital.
In a public notice, the City of Harare revealed that the outage is a result of a technical glitch involving prepaid meters recently installed by the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC).
The meters, which control power supply to critical infrastructure, have not yet been registered on the ZETDC Prepaid Vending Platform making it impossible for authorities to top up credit.
Key intersections currently without functioning traffic signals include Samora Machel Avenue/Rekai Tangwena, Samora Machel/Julius Nyerere, Julius Nyerere/Kenneth Kaunda, and Bishop Gaul/Rotten Row, among others.
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“We are in constant communication with ZETDC and we can confirm that they are working flat out to resolve the challenges.
“We expect the challenge to be resolved soon,” said the City of Harare in the notice.
In the meantime, municipal police and officers from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have been deployed to help direct traffic and prevent accidents at the affected intersections.
Motorists are being urged to exercise extreme caution and patience as the city races to restore normalcy.
