City of Joburg condemns Soweto blackouts
The City of Joburg says it was not informed about the Soweto power cuts over the past weekend.
Most areas in Soweto went without electricity over the weekend.
The City of Johannesburg says it condemns the decision by Eskom to disconnect electricity supply to millions of Soweto residents for a prolonged period without warning.
According to the City it was not informed about the blackout which began in the morning and lasted until late in the evening in the township internationally renowned as home to two Nobel Prize laureates, Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
“The decision to leave the entire Soweto without power for such a long time with no prior warning was insensitive, especially to those residents who pay for the electricity they consume,” said Member of Mayoral Committee for Environment and Infrastructure Services Matshidiso Mfikoe.
She said what exacerbated this was the deafening silence and indifference on the part of Eskom which showed complete and utter disregard to the people of Soweto.
The power outage in Soweto comes in the aftermath of a protest by Orlando West residents in the township following another unilateral decision by Eskom to install prepaid electricity meters in the area.
“Our greatest concern is that residents were not informed about the blackout and no one was bringing them or even the City up to speed on what was happening.
“The blackout continued without an explanation from Eskom,” she said.
She also said The City of Johannesburg continues to fulfill its mandate of providing services to the residents of Johannesburg.
“We have been creating awareness about interventions to keep the lights on in areas serviced by City Power, which is our municipal entity.
“This is why new housing and business developments such as RDP houses, flats and hotels have power in the township while the large part of Soweto supplied by Eskom is cut off.
“We are able to keep the lights on in City Power supplied areas across Johannesburg due to the implementation of smart solutions that include Load Limiting and Time of Use,” she said.
Mfikoe said Load Limiting enables the utility to monitor household usage in real time and disconnects residents that exceed the set threshold. Time of Use is a dynamic tariff model that prices electricity more cost effectively during off-peak periods to encourage usage during this time, and prices it at a premium during peak periods to discourage consumption.
“The City of Johannesburg is committed to constructively engaging with Eskom to find a speedy, lasting and amicable resolution to the recent impasse. We believe that collectively we can find a middle ground and serve the people of Johannesburg with pride and dignity,” she said.
