Left in the dark
FONTAINEBLEAU – Business and residents without electricity for six days.
A business in Fontainebleau was without electricity for six days.
The effects from power outage from 6 to 12 March were not only financial for Honeyveld Transport because about 30 people (staff members and their families) also live on the property.The problem occurred when Joburg Water subcontractors dug outside the premises to work on a water pipe. Staff members from the company warned the entity about a cable that supplied them with electricity which ran underground.
As Murphy would have it the cable was cut anyway, and the business burnt out two generators before a new cable was installed.
“Because of the downtime we have lost thousands of rand,” said George van der Westhuizen, owner of the business.
“We could only power one computer and two telephone lines. Our generators ran on diesel 12 hours per day. And on top of that, people now have to work overtime.”
He said the worst part was that the municipality did not once inform them of when the problem would be resolved, and when the business phoned Joburg Water for a report about the progress of the work, they refused to tell them.
Branch manager Marinda Marais said the staff’s food went off, they struggled to cook and they had to shower in cold water.
“They even asked us for firewood.” she said.
City Power spokesperson Sydney Mphahlele did not respond by the time of going to print.
Details: City Power 011 375 5555, Honeyveld Transport 011 792 4728.
