Residents in the southern parts of Boksburg continue to endure massive power outages and are blaming these problems on what they call unreliable infrastructure, and understaffed and overworked department.
According to residents, several suburbs in the southern part of Boksburg were left without power between September 14 and 16 following an electrical fault.
These massive blackouts cut power to thousands of people in areas including Parkrand, Parkdene, Farrar Park, Sunward Park, Freeway Park, Salfin, Van Dyk Park and the Boksburg CBD.
These blackouts angered residents who complained they were forced to toss their food into the bin, and others had to strain their finances on petrol for generators to run their businesses.
Municipal technicians reportedly attended to a faulty 33kV cable on the corner of Dudley Smith and Jubilee roads before the power was later restored.
Ward councillors share similar sentiments
Ward councillors in the affected wards agree with residents’ sentiments regarding the perpetual power outages in the area, saying they are equally concerned about the failure of power grid in Boksburg.
They said short of staff and supplies and the ageing electricity infrastructure, including the sub stations, are among the things that need to be addressed in order to improve the provision of electricity to most parts of Boksburg and the entire City of Ekurhuleni.
“We understand the inconvenience and the pain these outages are causing. The metro needs to come up with effective ways of servicing the ageing equipment and expand its workforce,” said Ward 32 Clr Marius de Vos.
Letter of complaint submitted
One of the frustrated residents, Leonard da Silva, sent a letter of complaint to the municipality’s senior management, including the office of the mayor, city manager’s offices and the City’s head of electricity and energy department.
Part of the letter reads: I would like to bring to your attention the severe disappointment with the Energy Department of Ekhuruleni managed by Mark Wilson.
We have been plagued with constant electricity outages in the last few months. We are promised constantly that they are working on the problems; however, these are just beautiful stories. Some of these outages are going on for days.
We have been told that the department is constantly doing repairs on the system, especially the Les Smith substation that is an absolute nightmare. An asset of Ekhuruleni again not ever maintained. I would suggest that the mayor goes and have a look at some of these poorly maintained assets. This is plain gross neglect from the department.
The cables that they are replacing at the moment is still a problem, the substation is still a problem and we are constantly told they are fixing things. What are you fixing Mr. Wilson?
Metro’s comment on the power crisis in Boksburg’s southern suburbs
According to the metro, the main cause of the blackouts in question was a cable fault between the Les Smith substation and Parkrand substation.
“Power was later restored in the affected areas except for Parkrand, Sunward Park Freeway Park, Van Dyk Park and Salfin as load-shedding was implemented in those areas until the second feeder cable was repaired,” explained metro spokesperson Themba Gadebe.
Ageing infrastructure and short-staffed department are being blamed for the ongoing power outages in the area. Do you agree with this statement?
- Ageing infrastructure was identified and the process of replacing it has already begun.
- The department is replacing two feeder cables between Parkrand and Les Smith.
- New 33kV circuit breakers and control panels for Les Smith have been procured. The City is still in the process of appointing service providers who will assist installing the new equipment.
- New 11kV switchgear for Boksburg substation was installed in 2019.
- New 11kV switchgear for Boksburg East substation was installed in 2018.
- All our transformers in Boksburg were serviced during the 2019/2020 financial year.
Information gathered from well-placed sources suggests the Energy Department’s work force is so short-staffed that people are being forced to work long hours and extra days, causing serious labour disputes. Is that true?
- Like most businesses in South Africa, there were staff issues during the lockdown.
When will the said shortage of staff and supplies, as well as the ageing electricity infrastructure, including the cables and sub stations, be addressed in order to improve the provision of electricity to most parts of Boksburg and the entire City of Ekurhuleni?
- The process of refurbishment is ongoing as indicated above and staff issues should be sorted out now that we are on level one lockdown.
Has the City’s power grid become more difficult to operate and more at risk of blackouts?
- The City is doing its best to ensure lights are kept on at all times; however, the community need to play their role by using electricity sparingly and reporting vandalism and theft, which impact most outages.
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