The EXPRESS was contacted by a frantic resident on Wednesday who said power cables at the corner of Galteemore and Hereford streets, Malvern, had been cut.
Residents were left with no electricity from 3am on Wednesday. The exposed cables also posed a danger to those passing by.
“I was working on my computer at about 3am when I saw sparks outside. I went outside and found a cable had been cut. I contacted City Power to report the matter,” said Mr Brendon Tala, a Galteemore Street resident.
He tried calling City Power on numerous occasions, but to no avail. When he finally reached an operator, he was told the company operates 24-hours a day and somebody would address the problem. He was given a reference number. After waiting all morning, Mr Tala went to City Power’s offices in Braamfontein and reported the matter. He was again told that somebody from City Power would attend to the problem.
When the EXPRESS visited Mr Tala on 28 August, nobody from City Power had attended to the problem.
Residents barricaded the street where the cables were lying with an old baby car-seat, a suggestion apparently made by the police.
At the time, Mr Tala said City Power was treating them poorly. “We pay for City Power’s services and are not asking for hand-outs. Our children did not go to school. We did not go to work and it was an inconvenience for us,” said an angry Mr Tala.
One of Mr Tala’s neighbours, Mrs Lorraine Lombard, was also livid. “We battled to get through to City Power. The cables were posing a danger to everyone, including children who were walking past to get to school,” said Mrs Lombard.
While the EXPRESS was there, Mr Tala phoned City Power again. He was told to wait. The EXPRESS forwarded an enquiry to Mr Sol Masolo, from City Power, and other City of Johannesburg officials. Ms Dudu Lushaba, from the city, said City Power confirmed the problem was resolved later the same day.
The EXPRESS made several attempts to get hold of Mr Sol Masolo from City Power and other council officials, without any success. The EXPRESS also sent an enquiry but City Power had not responded at the time of going to print.
