Zandspruit councillor unhappy with City Power
Read City Power’s spokesperson Sol Masolo's reaction to the disconnection allegation.
Victor Mafinya, the Ward 114 councillor, recently criticised City Power for disconnecting power in the area of Zandspruit without his approval.
The disgruntled councillor accused the power utility of disconnecting the area without his knowledge on 25 October.
“This came as a shock to me, because City Power never informed me, like they did two months ago,” he said.
He added that he had advised City Power to come up with an alternative solution before disconnecting power, which leads to an uprising in the community. “Each and every meeting I have with the City, I tell them they shouldn’t discontinue the electricity unless they come up with an alternative for the people of Zandspruit,” he explained.
“If the residents’ concerns are not taken into account, unfortunately the burning of tyres becomes the norm,” Mafinya said.
Also Read: Eskom to install electricity in Zandspruit
During the protest action on 25 October, the intersection of Peter and Beyers Naudé Roads, leading to Bothma Road, was affected as residents blockaded the roads with stones and burning tyres. The situation was monitored by Johannesburg Metro Police and Riot Police, who observed the area for several days.
Wandile Mrubata said no arrests were made during the protest; however, the authorities continued to monitor the area.
Mafinya was also dissatisfied with the manner in which authority conducted their duties. “I was disappointed with the police in the Nyala truck for throwing teargas, and the JMPD for firing rubber bullets. This led to two people being injured, of which one is still in hospital,” he vented.
He also complained that the timing for disconnection was bad as some children used the electricity to prepare for their finals exams.
City Power’s spokesperson Sol Masolo reacted to the allegations. He said, “City Power did not cut power at Zandspruit but merely removed illegal connections from a pole that was leaning dangerously over Beyers Naudé Road. The pole was removed because lives of motorists were at risk due to its precarious position. The illegal connections that were attached to the pole had to be removed first, because the pole could not be removed while illegal connections were still attached to it.”
He explained why Mafinya was not informed. “As per protocol in matters concerning illegal connections, City Power communicates directly with City of Johannesburg Regional Management before an illegal connection operation can be effected,” he said.
When asked about the status of electrifying Zandspruit legally, Masolo said Zandspruit falls within Eskom’s area of supply and Eskom would be the one to provide an update on the status of electrification of the area.
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