Electricity box poses a danger to community members
“It is a ticking bomb because it is next to a school,” van der Westhuizen said.
Impala Park residents are unsatisfied with the condition of an electricity box that has been vandalised and left open on Rolls Royce Street, near Summerfield Primary School.
More than three residents of the area and a businessman disclosed that the electricity box has been in that hazardous state for more than five years.
Micheal Bernes (71), who has been an Impala Park resident for 31 years, said he is disappointed with the way the metro officials have been responding to their service delivery-related issues. He said they are not urgently responding to their issues.
“They usually give us reference numbers, but they don’t follow up on those numbers or even come to check what a complaint is about.
“This electric box is always open. It is very dangerous for us who live here. It has been like this for over five years. I have complained about it so many times, but nothing happens,” Bernes said.
Louis van der Westhuizen, who runs a service station in Witkoppie Ridge, said the municipality is expecting business owners to adhere to the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993, but it is not doing the same.
“I can’t understand why the municipality is expecting us to comply with the Act, but it is not doing the same and leading by example. I have been driving past the electricity box several times and it has always been in this dangerous state. The doors of the box are always open.
“It is a ticking bomb because it is next to a school,” van der Westhuizen said.
The spokesperson of the metro, Zweli Dlamini, said this specific box has been repaired a few times in the last year by the metro, but people keep on vandalising it. He stated the metro will put it on its schedule for repairs again.
Residents are requested to log calls at the customer call centre about any service delivery issues.
“The box that was vandalised will be repaired as soon as possible,” Dlamini said.
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