Illegal connections, intimidation lead to residents’ electricity woes
Ward 35 residents air their grievances about the power supply in a peaceful protest outside the Electrical Security Area at the Germiston Customer Care Centre.
Fed up with living in the dark and exploding electrical transformers which have resulted in fatal injuries, Dukathole residents recently marched to the Germiston Customer Care Centre.
The angry residents claim that Ward 35 councillor Oupa Tshabalala has been lying to them and making empty promises for months on end.
Community leaders claim to have met with Tshabalala in June regarding the problematic power supply in the area.
They say they were informed that a meeting with the metro was pending and that the councillor would report all their grievances to the council and return with feedback.
Residents claim they are still awaiting feedback.
The Ward 35 community members interpreted their ward councillor’s silence as a form of negligence, so they marched to the Electrical Security Area offices on the corner of Junction Road and Johann Rissik Road in the hopes of meeting with management to get their power issues sorted.
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Iris Mthabela, a Dukathole resident, said after losing her home and four children in a shack fire in 2013, she no longer puts her trust in the metro or Tshabalala.
As a resident who feels let down by the metro, Mthabela took part in the peaceful protest.
“After an ongoing struggle in the community with the power supply, my children and I fell asleep with our candles burning.
“On that dreadful night, I woke up to a blazing shack with no help and unable to save my children.
“I was left to rebuild my life from nothing.
“I now live off recycling and can barely afford food.
“I also have to add paraffin to my expenses because of the lack of electricity.
“A lot of us are unemployed, often sick due to the paraffin fumes and our children aren’t doing well in school because of this inconvenience,” said Mthabela.
Many like Mthabela live hand to mouth and are frustrated with the lack of service delivery in their area.
“The electricity issue is just one of many problems we face daily.
“When you call an ambulance, you have to walk a long distance to meet the ambulance just outside Dukathole because they do not enter our community.
“This is no way to live,” said Mthabela.
When leaders Olivia Pietersen and Mxolisi Ngema returned to the crowd outside, they disclosed that according to management at the Germiston Customer Care Centre, none of their grievances had been reported by Tshabalala.
“Whilst in the meeting we called Tshabalala and he insisted that he had arranged a meeting with the metro and he further stated he did not want to be a part of the spectacle we were putting on,” said Ngema.
Ngema told the GCN that the management they met with added that they would not be able to assist them without their ward councillor present.
“We no longer want Tshabalala as our ward councillor and we are tired of voting for people who neglect us after they are in power,” said Mthabela.
The GCN contacted the metro for comment and the metro stated that through the energy department they engaged in a number of meetings regarding the electricity outages and illegal connections in Dukathole.
“During the 2012/13 financial year, Dukathole’s electricity infrastructure was upgraded with new transformers, prepaid meters and 13-meter concrete poles.
“Thereafter, illegal connections were done on the poles and meters were bypassed.
“Removal of illegal connections took place on a regular basis with the help of the EMPD, SAPS and the Red Ants.
“However, that did not stop further illegal connections that were worse than the initial illegal connections,” said Themba Gadebe, spokesperson for the metro.
The metro also stated that the illegal connections are now at a state where the transformers cannot handle the load strain.
“The strain causes the power to trip frequently as the transformers were not designed to carry the amount of load they currently carry.
“Transformers cannot be replaced or upgraded to accommodate illegal connections and theft of electricity by bridging or bypassing meters,” said Gadebe.
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Furthermore, according to the metro, a meeting was held with Tshabalala and his ward committee on May 13 in the energy department’s boardroom in Germiston.
In the meeting the ward committee agreed on the following:
• To speak to the community and see how they can reduce the illegal connections and have them pay for their services.
• Assist the energy department with a door-to-door campaign on the dangers of illegal connections (on June 15 the community chased energy officials from the area).
• Protect energy vehicles as they enter Dukathole to perform their duties as the teams are mugged and robbed of their belongings.
“The community also requested a site visit which was done, and the conclusion was that we need to remove all illegal connections and do audits before any work can be done,” said Gadebe.
“On the issue of fatal injuries, the metro is not aware of any fatality resulting from electrical connections.”
Speaking to the GCN Tshabalala admitted to wanting no part of the demonstration held outside the Electrical Security Area at the Germiston Customer Care Centre.
However, he denied allegations made by community members that he had not reported their grievances.
“As a councillor, you run the risk of being expelled if you do not report grievances.
“I am expected to file monthly reports on the state of my ward and provide feedback regarding previously reported grievances.
Tshabalala also mentioned that last year in the hope of resolving the electricity issues four transformers were changed in one month.
“Electrical cable theft is a huge issue in our community.
“We need to deal with eradicating electrical theft because it’s a danger to everyone.
“We cannot keep providing transformers only for them to be used for illegal connections.
“Another problem is that community members do not report wrongdoers, instead they work with them,” he said.
The councillor also expressed concern over the ill-treatment the Siyaqhuba team experienced recently when they visited the community.
“Siyaqhuba visited Dukathole with MMCs from all municipal departments and vigilantes intimidated them.
“That’s exactly what they do to the emergency services staff as well.
“They intimidate and rob them, which is why emergency services vehicles no longer enter Dukathole.
“The community has instilled fear in them,” he said.
In light of the rapid increase of electricity theft in the area Tshabalala together with the metro launched a campaign called Stop Electrical Cable Theft.
“Through this campaign, we went door-to-door handing out pamphlets and educating community members on the dangers of illegal connections.
“We also aim to build a better relationship with them so they can get into the habit of reporting illegal connectors,” said Tshabalala.
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