Update: City Power tardy in resolving dangerous pylons issue

DA councillor Carl Mann and DA shadow MEC for infrastructure Ralf Bittkau then took the matter up with City Power.

DA Councillor Carl Mann inspected the pylons last week. (Photo: Riaan van Zyl)

Eighteen months ago, a retired engineer alerted City Power to two pylons that are at high risk of toppling. In this past week, members of the media and a number of politicians followed up on the matter. Despite this, City Power has yet to take action.

After the engineer wrote a concise report indicating that two of the electricity pylons on Wilgerood Road had ‘failed’, the Record published an article about the matter on its front page. DA councillor Carl Mann and DA shadow MEC for infrastructure Ralf Bittkau then took the matter up with City Power and other relevant departments, but still have to receive a reply from them. The Record’s request for comment, a plan of action and a timeline also fell on deaf ears.

The retired engineer, who has asked to remain anonymous, told the Record on Monday that he had also supplied the information and photos to a Pretoria-based engineer with 45 years’ experience in the field. According to the engineer in Pretoria, who was previously involved in litigation concerning collapsed structures, “the bent elements involved are already collapsed and forces are transferred to adjoining elements. When enough elements are over-stressed the total mast can collapse. High winds can trigger such a total collapse”.

Mann called City Power’s apparent lack of interest in the matter “disgusting”. “It once again shows no respect to residents or councillors,” he said. “I cannot believe they can get away with something this serious, especially in the light of the Grayston Road bridge collapse. They have now been warned by various credible sources so they will have no excuse when disaster strikes. When that happens, people will sue”.

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