Token not showing? Start here
How to retrieve a lost ZESA token
The golden rule: retrieval goes through the channel you bought from. Find your purchase method below and follow the steps.
Bought with EcoCash?
- 1Dial *151# and go to Make Payment → Pay Bill — the biller code for ZESA prepaid is 04336. Your recent bill payments (with tokens) are in the transaction history.
- 2Check your SMS inbox for the original EcoCash confirmation — the 20-digit token is in the message. Search your messages for “ZETDC” or “token”.
- 3Still nothing? Call Econet customer care on 114 with the transaction reference and ask for the token to be resent.
Bought through a bank app or USSD?
- 1Open the app's bill payments / ZESA section and tap the transaction — most banks (ZB, CBZ, Steward, FBC, NMB, etc.) store the token in the transaction details.
- 2If the app shows no token, contact the bank's support with your transaction reference number — they can re-issue it. The purchase went through their vending partner, so ZETDC will redirect you back to the bank anyway.
Bought from an online vendor?
- 1Go back to the website or WhatsApp line you bought from — reputable vendors keep a token history per meter number you can look up without an account.
- 2Check your email (including spam) — many vendors email the token as well as SMS it.
The ZETDC self-service portal
- 1Visit selfservice.zetdc.co.zw and register with your meter number. Note: registration asks for details of a previous token purchase, so keep any old token handy — this is the portal's biggest catch.
- 2Once registered, use View Token to see tokens issued to your meter, including ones that never arrived by SMS.
- 3ZETDC also runs official WhatsApp fault-report lines and the national call centre (0242 704 245-9) — useful when the whole vending system is down.
Last resort: in person
- 1Take your meter number and proof of payment to the nearest ZETDC banking hall or service centre. During system outages this is often the only channel that still works.
Token not received? Quick answers
Why was my ZESA token not received by SMS?
The most common causes are SMS delays on the mobile network, buying with a different phone number than the one registered to the meter, or a temporary ZETDC vending outage. The token itself is almost never lost — it is stored by the channel you bought from (EcoCash, your bank, or the vendor), so you can retrieve it from there instead of waiting for the SMS.
How do I retrieve a ZESA token bought with EcoCash?
Dial *151#, go to Make Payment and check your Pay Bill history, or look through your EcoCash SMS statement — the token is in the transaction record. You can also call Econet on 114 and ask for the token to be resent.
How do I retrieve a ZESA token on ZB, CBZ, Steward or another bank?
Reopen your bank app's ZESA or bill-payments section and open the transaction details — the token is usually stored with the transaction. For USSD purchases, check the confirmation SMS thread. If you cannot find it, contact the bank's support line with your transaction reference number.
Can I view my old ZESA tokens online?
Yes. Register on the ZETDC self-service portal at selfservice.zetdc.co.zw using your meter number and any past token, and you can view your full token purchase history whenever an SMS goes missing.
The token says 'used' or the meter rejects it — what now?
Check that the token was generated for your exact meter number: a common cause is buying against the wrong meter. If the meter number is right, take the token, your meter number and proof of payment to a ZETDC banking hall, or call the ZETDC national call centre — they can verify and reissue it.
Never lose a token again
Buy your tokens on VoltZW and they are delivered on screen and by SMS — and every purchase stays attached to your meter number, so you can always look it up. No account needed.