I read the comment about the open power boxes supplied by Themba Gadebe, spokesperson for the City of Ekurhuleni, published by the Alberton RECORD on October 10.
ALSO READ: Resident frustrated by open power boxes
As a good long-standing ratepayer, I just read: “The issue of open electrical enclosures remains a big concern for the City.” My humble reply to Mr Gadebe would be on his estimation for how many more years would this problem still remain a concern as I personally called on the electrical department manager seven years ago and was then told the same prose and verse.
Furthermore, Mr Radebe states: “The City plans to replace older enclosures with protective structures that have electronic locking mechanisms; however, electronic locks do not resolve or correct negligent work and faulty supervision of city contractors’ services.” Electrical boxes are left open by contractors and the City does not supervise contractors for mediocre services rendered to ratepayers ultimately.
The community pays for contractors’ blindly. The City is a spender’s middleman. Really it is not the City’s money but ours which, in this way, is misused. Coincidentally no one ever noticed that precisely after the contractors have done the rounds the electrical boxes are left open, critically at streets adjacent to school areas? How can anyone accept excuses for expensive electronic locks to be the solution for mismanagement and mediocrity? Every month I personally close more than one box in my area and I would like to persuade Mr Gadebe to go around the City and close some of these open boxes so he can first hand regain a feeling for this problem and the glaring simple solution for its correction and then communicate his experience to the City senior management.
Concerned resident
*Reply from the City of Ekurhuleni:
“The City has attended to the problem. Though we have a monitoring mechanism for our contractors, residents are encouraged to report whenever they notice substandard work by the contractors.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused,” said Themba Gadebe, spokesperson for the City of Ekurhuleni.
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Open electricity boxes in Alberton North
Streetlights still burning day and night
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