NOEL IYOMBWA writes
@SunZambian
A LUSAKA-BASED hair dresser says load shedding has negatively affected her business.
Cynthia Lwendo said before loadsheding was launched, she used to make between K250 and K300 a day but now she sometimes knocked off without making any money at all.
“This is too much because power goes during the time that we are supposed to make money and when power is restored, people have had already gone to sleep,
“Zesco should reduce the period for load shedding, at least during the night when we are sleeping,” Lwendo said
Another entrepreneur Mr John Ndhlovu who owns a spray painting workshop said that his business which depended on Zesco power had been grossly affected.
He explained that many young people had ventured into panel beating making business which had become more competitive, adding that now with load shedding, the situation had become tricky.
Mr Ndhlovu said that power is restored at night making it impossible for clients to bring their vehicles.
“Load shedding has affected my business because power is restored at night when one cannot paint and panel beat a vehicle.
“And the worst part is that most young people like me have ventured into this business so the little clients I have resorted to go to other painters. It’s really a challenge for me,” he said
He said that Government should consider reducing the hours of load shedding so that there was room for business owners who depended on power to conduct their businesses.
Mr Ndlovu further said that on a normal day he would make between K 2,000 to K 1,500 but now situation is different as he a week passes without a client.
The water level in the Kariba Dam has continued falling and is now getting close to a record low reached in 1995, when the Zambia had one of its worst droughts.
The low level of water in the dam was as a result of poor rainfall experienced last rainy season.
