Govan Mbeki Municipality wants to end load-shedding in eMbalenhle by installing more transformers to reduce the overloading of the electricity network.
The municipality has a problem with transformers that have burned or been damaged because of overloading.
The municipality replaces five to six transformers a month and in some cases, a transformer lasts only a couple of days before it explodes.
Govan Mbeki Municipality’s executive mayor, Mr Nhlakanipho Zuma, said in a press briefing held at the municipal auditorium early this year that the municipality is changing transformers like someone changes socks.
Mr Zuma said the transformers do not last because of overloading and illegal connections.
He said they are in the process of splitting the load for their transformers to last longer and to lessen the expenses of the municipality.
Govan Mbeki Municipality mostly uses 100kVA,22/0.4,415kV pole-mounted transformers in their townships.
Mr Zuma raised the electricity capacity issue at eMbalenhle and said it is a big frustration.
He told the media that the life span of a transformer is supposed to be 10 years or more, but in GMM it only lasts between three and six months.
According to Mr Zuma, the municipality was to install additional transformers to split the load and voltages to avoid overloading.
The municipality also pleaded with residents to use electricity sparingly to avoid damaging the infrastructure.
When doing a presentation to the National Council of Provinces last year October, the municipality said in April 2020, they requested Eskom to increase the notified maximum demand (NMD) in Bethal/eMzinoni and eMbalenhle.
Eskom declined, citing the municipality’s inability to honour their account as the reason.
Through intervention by the national government, Eskom agreed on the condition of an R95million and R27million upfront payment for Bethal and eMzinoni respectively.
The payment was effected and a repayment plan was sent to Eskom but has not been accepted.
MEC for Cogta during that time, Mr Mandla Msibi, established a task team to jointly develop and implement a financial recovery strategy with the municipality.
Govan Mbeki Municipality continues to provide electricity to its residents albeit with challenges and debt to Eskom of about R 2,1 billion.
The municipality said to address its challenges, the following interventions were supposed to be initiated last year:
•A memorandum of understanding (MOU) with GSDM for the management of the Bethal and eMzinoni electricity in 2020. (Enpower Machite has since been assigned as the service provider for Bethal and eMzinoni).
• GMM applied for an NMD increase for various points which are exceeding the set limit. Eskom’s conditions for this increase would be to receive an advance payment equivalent to three months for Bethal/eMzinoni and eMbalenhle totalling R95 m and R27 m. The council honoured these payments.
• Council approved the repayment plan and it was submitted to Eskom on 09 October 2020 but it was rejected by Eskom.
• The matter was escalated to the provincial and the national government for intervention and the municipal council resolved through resolution A62/06/2018 in June 2018 and the municipality applied to NERSA to relinquish
its electricity distribution license and responsibilities back to Eskom in so far as the Langverwacht (eMbalenhle) main substation which was licensed for 34 MVA but was already exceeding 44 MVA.
• An application was also made to Eskom and while the matter was acknowledged, Eskom set impractical conditions before taking over.
These conditions were:
1. GMM’s arrear debt of R1,5m as of 23 October should be settled in full.
2. Monthly accounts should be up to date before finalisation.
3. GMM should make an upfront payment of Smart Meter installation at an estimated cost of R212m.
4. The total electricity distribution license for all towns/areas supplied by GMM was to be handed over to Eskom.
5. GMM to fund the network upgrading of Langverwacht (eMbalenhle) main substation.
6. eMbalenhle’s electrical network was to be upgraded to meet Eskom’s requirements.
The municipality told the NCOP that the above conditions are purely meant to frustrate the transfer and there is a seeming unwillingness to corporate.
