Lights Out — R200 Million 66kV Cable up in Smoke
by Cllr Simon Lapping — DA Spokesperson For Water, Energy and Sanitation in Ekurhuleni
Date: 04 August 2023
Release: Immediate
Type: Media statement
The Democratic Alliance in the City of Ekurhuleni will be writing to Nersa requesting a full investigation into the alleged failure of the R200 million 66kV Cable in Kempton Park which is barely five months old.
The DA has been reliably informed by whistle-blowers that the new 66kV cable, which was recently installed, was not done correctly and is not in line with industry standards and as a result, the cable was starting to melt. There are further allegations that the failure of the cable is solely due to shoddy workmanship from the contractor, who is claimed to be politically connected. The DA will be taking this matter further and request a thorough investigation into these allegations.
Unsurprisingly, the EFF/ANC coalition in the city is blaming the failure of the 66kV cable on vandalism.
It has become clear that since the EFF appointed its councillor as MMC for Water, Energy and Sanitation the electricity department has crashed to an all-time low. The EFF-puppet Executive Mayor has also been missing in action as more communities are plunged into darkness.
Energy Depots around the city are completely dysfunctional.
The DA, however, has not stopped fighting to keep the lights on. Residents and businesses are already plunged into darkness daily due to load-shedding and our fragile economy cannot bare the burden of additional failures by an uncaring EFF/ANC government.
The DA brought an urgent motion to the council last month, which sought to investigate the failure of the energy grid and implement a complete overhaul of the electricity department. The EFF Speaker refused to allow the motion to be heard in council, essentially stating there isn’t an energy crisis by ignoring the motion. The energy department has over 330 funded critical vacant positions, but the clear lack of political will to fill these much-needed posts and urgently address the energy crisis is blatantly clear.
The DA will not stop fighting to keep the lights on.
Cllr Simon Lapping
DA Spokesperson for Water, Energy and Sanitation
078 350 5063
