Damaged cable leaves Randpark in darkness
RANDPARK – Residents of Randpark were left in the dark for an entire day after a Joburg Water worker accidentally damaged a main power cable.
Residents were left without power on 15 October after a main cable in Arend Avenue was damaged accidentally by a Joburg Water employee during the upgrading of water pipes in the area.
Joburg Water community liason officer Amos Koikoi said he reported the incident to City Power at 8am and they allegedly arrived at the scene at 10am.
“At 10am I was informed that City Power needed to fetch materials from the depot and will be back soon but, at 3pm, there was still no sign of them,” said Koikoi.
John Brown, who resides in the area, said power in Randpark was switched back on at 11pm on 15 October.
Brown said he is shocked at the horrific service City Power delivers.
Another resident, Chris Bekker, said on a previous occasion during a power outage, he took the City Power workers to buy the materials they needed to repair a damaged cable himself and paid for it.
Ward 98 councillor Laurette van Zijl said she has tried to find someone at City Power who can be held liable for all incidents like these, but was allegedly informed by City Power this is not possible.
Van Zijl said this is the fourth time a cable has been damaged during the process of repairing or upgrading water pipes and everytime it takes City Power a day or more to repair it.
“City Power always complains that they do not have the necessary materials or the funds that are required to purchase the materials,” said Van Zijl.
She said materials should be kept at the local depot so that it is easily accessible.
City Power has not commented on the matter yet.
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