CW-residents want president to intervene

VANDERBIJLPARK. – Enraged residents of the CW-areas in Vanderbijlpark are fed-up with the Emfuleni Municipality’s inability to resolve power outtages at the electrical main station in Curie Boulevard.

Over the last 18 months, the CW-areas has spent 73 days without electricity. The longest stretch was in March 2019 when residents had no electricity for 28 consecutive days. In total the main station and substations in the CW-areas have broken down six times in the last 18 months. Which included explosions and implosions involving transformers and substations.

According to a concerned local resident who asked to remain anonymous they have exhausted all possible means. “We have sent emails to all stakeholders at local, provincial, and national levels but nothing has been done,” says the concerned resident.

Residents are now calling for an intervention by the president of the Republic of South Africa.

“I request that the state president Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa must please come and meet the community of Vanderbijlpark at the Curie Boulevard main station without the Vanderbijlpark mayor or the municipal manager. I believe that they will lie to president Ramaphosa regarding the matters and the condition of the substations and transformer houses. The best will be to listen to the community first and then make a call going forward,” reads an excerpt of an email sent to local, provincial, and national stakeholders.

According to the concerned resident, a spokesperson of the presidency has acknowledged his email and ensured him that the matter will be addressed.

Emfuleni Ward 10 Councillor, Peter Verbeek, supports the resident’s plight.

“The electrical main-station on Curie Blvd is of the 1960s. Lack of sufficient annual maintenance and infrastructural investment has led to the developments over the past 18 months. Emfuleni Local Municipality is under provincial intervention (as per Section 154 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa for the past two years) as well as under partial administration (as per Section 139 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa for the past year). These spheres of government are able to support this municipality. It needs to take place. It must happen now.”

“I totally support the idea of a visit by the president to the CW-community. The damages that the community has suffered over the past 18 months in the sense of loss of equipment and food are becoming too horrendous to contemplate.  Especially now during this lockdown period pertaining to the Covid-19 virus. A phased-in overhaul of the electrical infrastructure must be contemplated. Electrical infrastructural deficiencies are adding to the burden that residents of the CW-areas experience on a daily basis. Residents must not be wasting food. This is an infringement of basic human rights. I support a Plan-of-Action now,” says Verbeek.

The last incident took place on May 1, when the substation caught fire affecting the power supply to Bophelong, Movhango, Bonane, Stephanopark, and parts of NW7, CW 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. Over the last four days, power has come on for short intervals but a dropped phase wreaked havoc.