What’s the cause of the frequent power failures in Garsfontein?
There seems to be disagreement about the cause of the frequent power outages in parts of Garsfontein.
There seems to be disagreement about the cause of the frequent power outages in parts of Garsfontein.
Lynette van Rooyen of Vercueil Street in the suburb has laid multiple complaints but was apparently fed wrong information about the cause.
“I have been living in Garsfontein extension 4, since 1 April 2012 and this area has had regular power failures, and it is escalating. Last night, from approximately 20:00 until 22:30 we were again without power,” said Van Rooyen.
“I am under the impression that is because of a lack of upgrade to and maintenance of the substation supplying this area. The reason I am stating this is that when I call to report the failure, most of the time, the customer care official will tell me that it is due to a problem at the substation.”
Nick Pascoe, the former area ward councillor concurred with the substation explanation. “There is an electrical feeding problem in the area because of all the new developments putting a strain on the sub-station…There are too many homes connected to the line.”
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However, regional operations centre MMC Richard Moheta had a completely different explanation for the power outages in the area.
“The electricity stations in Garsfontein are not the cause of the power outages, it is private fibre internet companies digging trenches illegally that are damaging the city’s electricity and water infrastructure.
“I am aware of Vercueil Street’s power outages, and I have a photo we took showing how a hole dug by one of these unregistered companies damaged a water pipe that nearly flooded the entire street,” said Moheta.
“There are many private companies digging trenches but most of them are digging illegally.
“It’s not a problem with big companies like Telkom because they have permits, but it’s the small private contractors taking shortcuts that are destroying our underground power lines. If they applied successfully, then we would have them in our database and supply them with a map of our electricity and water lines, so that these lines aren’t damaged when they dig trenches.
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“But because they are not registered, they don’t know where the power lines are, hence the damage to our electric and water infrastructure, which causes power outages in homes like Mrs Van Rooyen’s,” said Moheta.
“We have deployed Tshwane metro police to catch these fibre optic companies digging trenches illegally and a few have been caught in the act…
“TMPD gives them one warning, and if they continue digging without wayleave permits, we are authorised to confiscate their vehicles, equipment and make arrests.”
“Another reason there have been power outages in the area for so long is because of cable theft as well as illegal electricity connections by private estates in the area. These estates siphon electricity from the city’s electric grid in order to power their electric gates and pool pumps…But we solved the problem by using new tamper-proof boxes that can’t be modified for illegal electricity use.” Said Moheta.
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Van Rooyen said there were indeed companies laying fibre cables in the area but that the power outages preceded them.
Current ward councillor Leo Middelberg said that he was unaware of the power outage problem “because nobody has approached me with Van Rooyen’s particular issue”.
“In order for me to take action as a ward councillor, residents need to contact the municipality with their complaint, thereafter they will receive a reference number. If the problem still isn’t solved after contacting the municipality, then they can approach me with the reference number and I will use my powers to further escalate the complaint.
“My phone number is on the DA website and I have a WhatsApp group where residents share community complaints which Van Rooyen and other residents are welcome to join,” said Middelberg.
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