Residents threaten Eskom with legal action
Furious residents in Third Avenue, Edenvale Ridge, have threatened Eskom with mass legal action if unfinished construction is not completed by the end of August.
For the past year, residents have fought with Eskom to have concrete barriers removed and trenches filled after construction was halted.
Originally, Eskom received permission for electrical lines to be laid along First Avenue from Aitken Road.
When it came time for the job to be done, Ekurhuleni’s Roads Department told Eskom that it could not allow for the closure of a portion of First Avenue while installations took place.
The cable route was re-directed to Third Avenue.
Cabling was again halted when Eskom was told by the Green Scorpions that the license it acquired was not valid for drilling to take place under the Third Avenue bridge.
The license stipulated that drilling could take place under the First Avenue bridge and therefore had to be amended.
This amendment to the license is what has caused delays in completing the construction.
On Wednesday, angry residents met with representatives from Eskom and its sub-contractor to find a solution to the on-going issue.
Resident, Mr Mike Anderson, said the amendment to the license for drilling to take place was not residents’ problem.
“We did not cause the issue, we did not cause the delay and yet we are the only ones suffering as a result. I have had a trench and barricades the length of my property for more than a year,” he said.
Mr Anderson said he spent thousands of Rands renovating his house and cannot obtain the maximum value of his property due to the halted construction.
“My paving contractor has been waiting nine months to complete the paving. My rates have increased around 40 percent, yet I must live in a perpetual building site,” he said.
At the meeting, residents said they could see no reason why cables could not be laid up to the river, trenches filled and verges rehabilitated, while Eskom waits for amendments to the licence.
In consultation with a lawyer, residents were told they could institute a mass class action law suit against all involved for losses incurred on property values.
“I notified Eskom that if the trenches are not filled, with or without a cable, and the verges rehabilitated and road resurfaced by the end of August, I will lead the coalition in the mass class-action law suit.
“I pay good rates to live in a decent suburb and we have been more than patient. To wait 12 months is ridiculous,” Mr Anderson said.
At the meeting, contractor Mr Piet Marx, said placing unnecessary joins in the cable will comprise its reliability but it was a risk that Eskom would have to take.
He told residents that to lay cables up to the river would take five to six weeks.
Mr Thuliso Mpofu, the project engineer and Mr Marx, confirmed that contractors would be on site on Monday, August 12, for work to commence.
