Germiston residents picket for power crisis outside CoE’s council
Residents argued that no development can take place in these circumstances nor can investment be sustained.
The LamDel Residents and Primrose Ratepayers associations and Primrose Business Forum picketed outside the City of Ekurhuleni council chambers on Friday to express their frustrations with the electricity problems in Germiston.
They delivered a memorandum of grievances addressed to mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana, MMC for Water, Sanitation and Energy Leshaka Manamela and councillors of wards 35, 36, 39 and 92.
Young and old demanded solutions to the energy issues in Germiston.
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The memorandum stated that residents are aiming to bring attention to the persistent energy crises that has been plaguing the community and the inefficiencies of the council in addressing the crisis.
“We are deeply concerned about the poor service delivery, inadequate management and lack of accountability from the City of Ekurhuleni and the Germiston depot, which has resulted in prolonged power outages and decline in the quality of service delivery,” said LamDel Residents Association chairperson Jakkie Janse van Vuuren.
The associations and forum believe that the electricity crisis is “killing Germiston”.
They said the electricity issue is directly affecting the community.
Residents argued that no development can take place in these circumstances nor can investment be sustained.
“Life cannot take place in a situation of permanent lack of service.
Community members with disability or critical care cannot live as they don’t have services to support them,” residents stated in the memorandum.
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They further argued that their financial and emotional well-being is severely affected and that crime increased as safety and security of residents and businesses is compromised.
The associations and forum called for immediate action to address the ongoing power crises.
The memorandum demanded:
• An investigation be conducted into the inefficiencies of the Germiston energy depot management and improvement in its functionality.
• An action plan be implemented to improve service delivery, including the provision of necessary parts, tools, and PPE for technicians.
• Fully resourced electrical team and vehicles.
• Review and restructuring of the shift and overtime policies and reinstatement of the standby teams.
• Electrical operations team free of political motivations.
• Proper management be put in place that is free of threats and sabotage.
• CoE be held accountable for the turnaround time.
• A solution to illegal connections and a task team to strengthen security measures.
• Mayor takes action against the standard of performance by the operation teams and holds them accountable.
• Proper maintenance practices, investments and operations and frequent services and maintenance to substations.
• Transparency regarding electricity provision.
“We have made numerous attempts to reach out to the mayor and city manager only to be ignored.
“We cannot and will not be held ransom any longer. We urge CoE to take immediate action because businesses and residents have had enough,” said Janse van Vuuren.
The memorandum was accepted by MMC for Environment and Waste Clr Eunice Matloga.
“The necessary departments will respond within two weeks,” she told residents.
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