Munsieville residents protest over ‘unstable’ electricity supply

Residents of Munsieville recently gathered at Town Hall in protest against what they refer to as an unstable electricity supply and a faulty transformer.

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According to Happy Motshelanoka, they have been dealing with months of frustration after a newly installed transformer proved faulty, eventually leading to damage to the electrical appliances of some residents. Motshelanoka added that the supply of electricity in the area was never consistent, however, the municipality maintains that the transformer was new.

We went to express our frustration at the municipality and demanded that we be reimbursed for our damaged appliances, as well as to install a transformer that works.”

Motshelanoka added that there is an electrical company responsible for installing the transformer and that they had been working with Mogale City to provide electricity in the area.

“The company has to take full responsibility for everything. We were promised that people would be refunded, however, we are yet to get communication from the municipality or any further clarity on the matter.

We have followed all the right procedures by communicating with all relevant offices that are involved. We also wrote the petition to the municipality,” Motshelanoka continued.

The Krugersdorp News has since reached out to the Mogale City Local Municipality (MCLM), which denied that they have made any commitments to residents to assist or refund them.

“During discussions between the contractor and affected residents, it was agreed that the contractor would investigate the cause of the damage. The outcomes of this investigation will determine the next steps to be taken.

In the meantime, the municipality will continue to facilitate dialogue between the contractor and affected residents until a resolution is found,” said MCLM communications officer Refilwe Mahlangu.

MCLM also denied that the transformer in question was ever faulty, and no defects were identified.

“There is no evidence to suggest it caused the voltage surge. It continues to operate optimally and does not require any repairs or replacement. Consequently, the municipality cannot take responsibility for repair or replacement costs, as no defects have been identified with the transformer. Despite this, MCLM will continue to investigate the matter until it is resolved.”