MMC provides straight answers to the city’s ongoing power issues

Emotions ran high as members of the community flocked to the Benoni Northerns Sports Club on July 14 to attend a public meeting with MMC of Water, Sanitation and Energy Senzi Sebiko to speak candidly about the energy crisis.

Although issues relating to load-shedding dominated the interaction between senior delegates, which included the HODs of electricity as well as water, residents used the opportunity to voice their concerns relating to all sectors of service delivery.

Sebiko reiterated that the council is reverting to a back-to-basics approach, ensuring that basic service delivery, such as reliable electricity and working street lights, are delivered first before larger projects are undertaken.

“Since taking over the executive of the CoE six months ago, we have uncovered a rot within the metro, which has for too long resulted in our community not enjoying access to basic services that they are paying for,” said Sebiko.

“Paying residents should not have to beg for services, we as metro employees are not here to rule over the masses. Ratepayers are our bosses and we need to deliver.”

Speaking of the challenges facing the department, he said that the bulk of the current budget has been allocated to his portfolio to undertake infrastructure upgrades as well as a departmental shake-up.

“One of the most basic services is ensuring that all the street lights are all in working order and working when it is needed,” he said.

“We endeavour to create better lines of communication with our ward councillors. When a community is dumped into darkness, they demand answers, communication is free and information will from now be readily available.”

He stated that key positions within the department have for years been vacant. These include electricians and technicians, yet funding for those positions was made available.

“One can only imagine where that money went if the necessary appointments were not made,” said Sebiko.

“All vacant positions are being advertised and we are meticulously sifting through the applications to ensure that we are not only employing the best-qualified persons for the positions but candidates that show strong work ethic, discipline and accountability.

“A culture of poor work ethic has for too long been accepted.”

The MMC admitted that there is one vehicle available to tend to outages throughout the city thus creating a severe backlog and dismal turnaround time.

Testing equipment and tools of the trade are severely outdated and a lack of spare parts often makes easy repairs impossible.

“Repairs that should take 30 minutes are taking five hours as teams need to scurry around to find replacement parts,” said Sibeko.

“Often temporary repairs are made and left as such because teams need to tend to other complaints. This needs to stop and it can only happen when we have more teams and vehicles on the ground.”

HOD for Energy Tshalidzi Thenga said that although some of the issues plaguing the city will be addressed within the first quarter of the financial year other projects may take longer.

“Just because you don’t see us replacing all the cables immediately doesn’t mean we have made empty promises,” said Thenga.

“You will see more teams on the roads, you’ll see the street lights receiving attention and little by little we will be able to repair the damage that has for too long been left unattended.”

Remaining highly critical of what has been said, some residents agreed that the engagement has restored some of their confidence within the new administration.

“Due to the magnitude of questions posed to the MMC and his team, some residents feel that their questions were not answered in as much detail as they have hoped,” said Ward 27 Clr Lornette Joseph.

“However, the MMC did assure us that the questions relating to energy will be investigated and answers will be provided to us to share via our social media platforms.”

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