Residents angry with City Power
ALEXANDRA – Residents irked by city power's failure on their five years' safety concerns.
A suspected vehicle thief who was arrested on 15 August in Phase 3, Alex by the Joburg Metro Police, has raised the ire of residents against City Power for allegedly neglecting their long-standing plea for safety around a power sub-station.
The concern was also raised in Alex News in Week ending 20 June. They claim they have been communicating with the entity for the past five years but to no avail. This means residents are forced to clear out the tall grass which is used as cover by criminals and is also home to vagrants. They fear that people will be killed and foetuses dumped in the area.
City Power spokesperson Sandiswa Simelane promised on 20 June that the matter would be investigated but to no avail.
The suspect was arrested at the spot on Sole Crescent in the morning next to a suspected stolen motor vehicle with its fuel tank and some windows open and the keys in the ignition. He failed to explain his presence, except to claim that he was relieving himself but there was no sign of human waste around him. A knife, screwdriver, suspected drugs and an assortment of other items were found in his possession.
Residents of the quiet area said they often chase away vagrants and suspicious persons who return afterwards. They claim stolen goods and vehicles are left on the site, and the open electricity boxes endanger their children.
They erected a razor wire fence, installed a no dumping sign and cleared tall grass and weeds, but City Power officials allegedly removed the fence, allowing rubbish to pile up again. Residents say they fear robbers will eventually raid their homes or attack those arriving home at night.
They pointed out another Audi without number plates which had been parked in the same spot two days and was reported to the police. This is presumably a strategy to check stolen vehicles aren’t being tracked.
When City Power was contacted again on 21 August, Sydney Mphahlele requested a written complaint.
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