Fuel retailer COMOIL Pvt Ltd has been fined for selling non-compliant petrol with an ethanol content exceeding the legally allowed limit, raising worries about the safety of its customers’ vehicles.
According to National Prosecution Authority, The Lupane Magistrate’s Court found COMOIL, represented by supervisor Livingstone Mubvumbi (42), guilty of violating fuel quality rules after an inspection by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA).
The December 6, 2024, inspection at COMOIL’s Lupane station showed that the petrol contained more than 50% ethanol—far exceeding the E20 ZWS 964 standard, which allows a maximum of 20% ethanol.
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When ZERA found out about it, they quickly sealed the tanks that held the non-compliant fuel.
The Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) later verified the samples, proving the breach.
After that, COMOIL was charged under Statutory Instrument 123 of 2013 and SI 171 of 2014 for not following rules about fuel quality.
Drivers are worried about their safety
Petrol with too much ethanol can really hurt car engines, especially ones that weren’t made to handle such high ethanol blends.
People who bought petrol from COMOIL’s Lupane station without knowing it could have problems with their engines, less speed and even long-term mechanical problems.
People were wondering how long the illegal fuel had been on sale and if it was the same at other COMOIL stations across the country.
Motorists are asking the government to do a better job of tracking to stop similar accidents that could cost a lot to fix and put people’s safety at risk.
ZERA has reassured the public that it will continue to enforce rules about fuel quality and keep consumers safe from goods that don’t meet standards.
People who think they may have been harmed are asked to report problems and have their fuel checked.
