#Letter: Electricity department has no spark

DOCRRA Chairman Deon Viljoen writes:

Referring to the article in the Courier of April 13 quoting KDM electricity business unit executive director Sibusiso Jali about the new substation at Compensation:

I recall a stakeholders meeting in April 2019 at which Jali waxed lyrically about this new electrical substation, that a tender would be issued shortly and construction would commence in August 2020.

The cost then would have been R180-million and completion time two years. The Eskom cables to supply this substation have been rusting for more than 3 years.

We should not be surprised though, since Jali has made similar promises on streetlights, increasing maintenance on critical infrastructure (to try and meet NERSA standards), curtailing electricity theft, and more.

We all know that none of these have effectively been done implemented.

The electricity department at KDM is the largest, and also the worst performing for many years and on many fronts.

One can only wonder how long such lack of commitment on delivery and poor performance can be tolerated by the KDM council and leadership. Good intentions abound. Ineptitude reigns supreme.

DOCRRA is preparing a detailed dossier on the failures of the KDM electricity department and the cost thereof to the Dolphin Coast. Watch this space.

KDM spokesperson Sipho Mkhize responds:

The outcry by DOCRRA is noted, the project being referred to was delayed due to land acquisition hurdles.

The municipality has awarded Phase 1 of this project, and is currently crafting a contract to be entered into by the municipality and successful bidder.

Contractors are expected to break ground in June 2022.