AfriForum Vryheid’s chairman, André van der Walt, has submitted a letter to the municipal manager of AbaQulusi Local Municipality to request answers regarding a few issues.
In the letter, it states that a contractor was appointed a few months ago (without proper supply chain procedures) to trim and cut trees near the Stilwater/Zaailaagte power lines. This contractor had one bakkie and four or five workers doing the job, for a period of roughly three months. It has now come to AfriForum’s attention that the costs were excessively high (about R 3.6m).
AfriForum challenges the amount that the contractor was paid in accordance with the work done. They further request a full outline of the expenses, as well as the work that has been done on this project, since the lines are still problematic.
The second issue in the letter refers to the damaged transformer at the Mason Substation. On May 29, a transformer was damaged at this specific substation. AfriForum alleges that the town is now on their last serviceable transformer, since the other two are also damaged and unserviceable. The concern is that if the remaining transformer is damaged or loses its capacity, the town will be left in darkness for at least two weeks. This will affect the economy of the town, as well as living standards and health issues. It has been more than two months since the incident occurred and no steps have been taken to replace or repair at least one of the damaged transformers.
AfriForum has also sent a copy of the letter to NERSA and the auditor-general.
The Vryheid Herald contacted the municipality regarding these allegations, but at the time of going to print, no response had been received.
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