City Power remains mum about resident’s situation
DESPITE numerous calls by Sonia Scalco to have City Power restore her electricity, she still lives with a temporary cable that runs through her garden.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2014/07/duenna31cable_548264305.jpg)
The Highlands North resident told the North Eastern Tribune that she had lost faith in the entity.
Scalco’s electricity went off on 17 March after the heavy rains experienced throughout the province.
She said she called the entity to report the issue.
“When City Power workers arrived at the house, they connected a temporary cable that runs from the pylon outside through my garden and into the garage where the main switch is located,” said Scalco.
In the article, City Power knocked, Week ending 8 August, Scalco told the paper that her main concerns were the safety of her grandchildren as well as fearing her house might catching fire.
![Sonja Scalco stands next to her main switch in her garage.](https://northeasterntribune.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2014/07/duenna31cable_530893199-423x317.jpg)
She said, “At some point, the cable almost caught fire and my husband had to reconnect it. The marks left by the smoke are clearly visible on the garage wall where the main switch is.”
Scalco said what upset her most was that after this happened, she phoned officials who came to her property but still did not remedy the issue.
“Instead of fixing the problem, they complimented my husband for reconnecting the cable. Now my appliances are not working as they should since the temporary cable was installed. I wish the powers that be could intervene. This is unfair as we pay for these services yet don’t get our money’s worth,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ward 73 councillor, Marcelle Ravid said residents in her ward had similar challenges.
She said, “I received such complaints from residents who have also had to wait for months to get City Power come by and fix [their issues].”
Ravid added, however, that the entity had started addressing some of the backlog in similar cases.
Scalco said she contacted the entity’s call centre several times and has more than four reference numbers, but still had no promising reply.
She said, “Some days they put you on hold for a very long time until they eventually put the phone down on you.”
The entity had not responded to this newspaper’s questions regarding Scalco’s issue by the time of publication.
Previous article: ‘City Power is incompetent’ – Highlands North resident
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