Senzi Sibeko, MMC for Water, Sanitation and Energy addressed residents of Germiston on power issues.

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He said systems will be put in place to address power outages as he acknowledged residents’ frustrations.

“From a distance, it seems like the council has been doing nothing about the power issues but the opposite has been the case,” said Sibeko.

“The memorandum we received on July 6 tabled problems and solutions by residents,” said Sibeko.

With the new budget that kicked in on July 1, he asked residents to be patient while systems are rolled out.

“We are dealing with infrastructure that has not been upgraded for the past 40 years.

“The system has collapsed over the years,” said Sibeko.

“Working towards fixing and correcting the system is not easy. Residents have the right to be angry because over the years solutions were not offered,” he said.

“This meeting is to create contact between residents and council on promises we can deliver. If we don’t deliver they must hold us accountable.”

Budget

“For the past six months, we have been operating without a budget.

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“The new budget will be effective as planned.

“The energy department received more funds compared to other departments because of the demand in our communities.”

He said certain areas have been prioritised, which include Kempton Park, Thembisa, Germiston and Alberton.

“These areas have experienced several power outages that have crippled businesses,” said Sibeko.

“Proper upgrade of infrastructure needs to be done in these areas because there has been a growth in population, while backyard rooms and informal settlements jave also mushroomed,” he said.

Maintenance

“We also budgeted to fill critical positions within the energy department itself. We need staff members that are experienced, equipped and disciplined,” said Sibeko.

“Restoration time has to be improved by having enough staff members.

“I have been to depots where the staff don’t have the right personal protection equipment to begin with.

“There have been shortages of vehicles as well,” said Sibeko.

Monitoring systems

“There has been a problem with how people report their issues.

“We hold the customer care centres responsible,” said Sibeko.

“We will monitor how many calls have been logged by a resident and how long it takes for the problem to be fixed.

“Our vehicles will have trackers on them to monitor their whereabouts,” said Sibeko.

Communication

“We have introduced the escalation desk and I will oversee all the complaints.

“We need to refurbish, maintain and upgrade our infrastructure to offer residents services they pay for and deserve,” said Sibeko.

He said streetlights will be fixed from the start of July.