Aging electricity infrastructure in Brackendowns a concern for the DA
by Cllr Malcolm Maifala-Masebe — DA Ward 38 Councillor in Ekurhuleni
Date: 31 August 2021
Release: Immediate
Type: Media Statement
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Brackenhurst and Brackendowns is concerned that the ANC-led coalition* government in Ekurhuleni is awaiting disaster to strike before upgrading the City’s electricity infrastructure.
Following questions submitted by the DA, for written reply, which were tabled in Council on Thursday 26 August 2021; the MMC for Water, Sanitation and Energy, Ald. Tiisetso Nketle, confirmed that most of the switchgears are 20 years and older. Besides sharing this information, she failed to confirm when the department of Energy would be upgrading its infrastructure.
During the month of June, residents of Brackendowns Ext 5 experienced constant power outages which left residents in the dark for extended periods of time. The DA is, therefore, concerned that the Energy Department continues to drag its feet while the City is dependent on aging and vulnerable infrastructure.
It is the view of the DA that the ANC-led coalition government cannot afford to be reactive when it comes to the delivery of essential services. It is evident that the ANC and its coalition partners do not understand the concept of preventative maintenance.
While it can be understood that the City needs to monitor the demand for electricity, the DA believes there must be regular maintenance of electricity infrastructure. Especially considering that the average age of the City’s switchgears is 35 years old. Furthermore, during the June power outages in the area, the DA discovered that the switchgears were too old and could not be easily replaced.
It is even more concerning that MMC Nketle could not give an indication of when last the Energy Department had conducted preventative maintenance. When questioned on this, the MMC simply alluded to ‘ongoing maintenance’ without providing timelines as to when last her department maintained substations covering Alrode, Albertsdal, Brackenhurst and Brackendowns.
Residents of Brackenhurst and Brackendowns, as well as communities in Ekurhuleni, deserve a DA government that is committed to uninterrupted services, by ensuring constant maintenance.
The DA is committed to conducting regular maintenance to ensure sustainable electricity supply and better services in Ekurhuleni.
#Time4Change
*ANC Coalition Partners: African Independent Congress (AIC), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), Patriotic Alliance (PA) and Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa (IRASA)
Cllr. Malcolm Maifala-Masebe
DA Ward 38 Councillor in Ekurhuleni
