eMBALENHLE – Ms Thandi Ngxonono, Govan Mbeki Municipality’s executive mayor, was told ‘where to go’ by disgruntled eMbalenhle residents over the electricity woes in the area.
Ms Ngxonono held a community meeting at the Sijongile Damase Hall during which she addressed the residents about the electricity problems in the area on Wednesday, 19 June.
The mayor gave new revelations about the electricity problems.
Previously, she said that the biggest problem in the area is the capacity and that the current infrastructure was built during the apartheid era.
However, she now said that recent reports indicate that the problem is not the capacity, but rather the high usage of electricity that is unaccounted for.
She added that the current problem is that residents rent out rooms within their households.
“These rooms that you are renting out, is costing the municipality a lot. Other problems are illegal connections. This is unfortunate, because not all of us steal electricity. Ghost vending is also becoming a problem as residents are buying electricity from illegal vendors.”
She announced that the municipality will soon begin disconnecting illegal connections.
As the mayor was addressing the residents, they interrupted her by saying that she is good for nothing and that she is telling lies.
“Ms Ngxonono has attended so many meetings and has witnessed many strikes regarding the electricity. However, she is not attending to the problem.
“We want Eskom electricity.
“The problem is that the Council is doing as they please. We elected Ms Flora Maboa Boltman, however, when you fired her you did not inform us.
“When the new mayor was elected, you also did not inform us about the changes.
“Now it is our turn to remove you from your position,” said a resident.
The audience chanted and celebrated the views of the speaker.
Speaker after speaker lambasted Ms Ngxonono and GMM.
In response to the residents, the mayor informed them about Bigen Africa, a service provider that has been appointed to upgrade the substation in the area.
She then called the senior manager in the energy sector to explain the technical issues, however, the residents once again interrupted her.
The meeting became chaotic and Ms Ngxonono and her team left the residents inside the hall.
In Extension 17, Mr Nhlakanipho Zuma, Speaker, also had a difficult time as residents did not listen to what he was saying and demanded to be addressed by the mayor.
The meeting that was held at Maphala Gulube Primary School also collapsed as residents staged a walk-out and did not want to listen to Mr Philmon Mtshali, chief whip, and demanded to be addressed by Ms Ngxonono.
These meetings followed another meeting where community committee members gathered with the mayor to get more answers about the electricity problems.
The representatives also met with Sasol engineers to request intervention.
The community held a meeting on Sunday, 23 June, to get feedback from the committee which was elected to represent them and assigned to meet with the executive mayor.
The committee gave feedback that they met with Ms Ngxonono and that she also told them that the electricity theft and illegal vendors are some reasons for the constant blackouts in eMbalenhle.
They also mentioned that they met with Sasol engineers who allegedly told them that Sasol can only assist if they receive a formal request from the municipality.
Mr Sipho Nzima, a committee member, said the meeting resolved that they should take the matter further to the premier and Nersa.
“We were mandated to get information from Ms Refilwe Tsipane, premier, so that she can give us feedback about taking the electricity back to Eskom as she promised.
“We will also engage Nersa to establish what process should be followed for the municipality to relinquish the power back to Eskom.”
Mr Nzima said the community is united in finding positive solutions to the matter.
“We are just residents who want to find solutions.
“Politicians have failed us as you remember that the G9 councillors were at the forefront of this matter in the past, however, they ditched the community.”
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