Electricity breakthrough for Diepkloof residents
Thando Nondywana Tensions ran high outside the Eskom Robinson Training Centre in Boysens as residents blocked the main entrance preventing technicians from leaving the premises. Residents from Etzi Street in Zone 1 demanded to be reconnected to electricity after they claim Eskom workers have been giving them the run around. They said this was an
Tensions ran high outside the Eskom Robinson Training Centre in Boysens as residents blocked the main entrance preventing technicians from leaving the premises.
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Residents from Etzi Street in Zone 1 demanded to be reconnected to electricity after they claim Eskom workers have been giving them the run around.
They said this was an attempt to engage with officials, Solly Lekalakala and Brain Ndubani after numerous failed commitments from the pair.
“The two officials who have been handling our case told us that our mini sub was approved in April and we would get it installation yet to our surprise they came back and told us that they had a wrong size of 350kwv instead of the 500kwv that we need,” said committee member Moshe Nhlapo.
Residents previously paid the same offices a visit in March demanding management to address them.
As it stands, over 130 houses in the area have been left in the dark since December 2021.
The community said they suspect there was corruption involved in the procurement of the sub in what they alleged to be a syndicate by Eskom workers.
“They gave our box away because how can a community in Orlando get the 500kwv box when they said it was out of stock? And how did they get the installation first when we are the ones who should have been front of the list,” residents asked.
Residents also blamed Eskom officials for heightened tensions saying that they are now fighting each other because the power utility has created a lack of trust in the community.
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Eskom’s Brian Ndubani escalated the matter to the senior operations and maintenance manager, Dephne Mokwena who told residents that the power utility was expecting a stock of mini-subs in the next week.
Mokwena further committed to ensuring the community would be prioritised with immediate effect after Jabuvu.
“If the new stock is not delivered and installed in our community by the end of the week, we will show up at the Mega Watt Park offices to demand answers on what is happening,” residents told Mokwena over the phone.
The Ward 28 councillor, Peter Ndou said he remained hopeful now that the community had a clear direction.
“We are pleased that we spoke to one of the senior managers who promised the community of Zone 1 will be their priority after they received new stock of mini subs. She further said she will communicate with her subordinates Solly Lekalakala and Brian Ndubani to make sure that this community gets electricity soon,” said Ndou.
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