East substations to be upgraded
The Mooikloof and the Wapadrand substations were damaged after they caught fire.
Two substations in the east of Pretoria that were damaged by fire will be refurbished, Tshwane mayor Randall Williams promised.
The Mooikloof and Wapadrand substations supply electricity to areas such as Mooikloof, Pretorius Park, parts of Garsfontein, Moreleta Park, Wapadrand, Faerie Glen, Silver Lakes, Lombardy, Zwavelpoort and Equestria.
Many of these areas have over the years been plagued by power outages due to overload, electrical trips and cable theft that led to many residents being in the dark.
In 2017, the Mooikloof substation caught fire, causing damage estimated at around R45-million.
The following year, a fire broke out at the Wapadrand substation plunging several suburbs into darkness. The fire destroyed all the electrical equipment stored inside. At the time, the repairs of the substation were estimated to be around R80-million.
Williams did not give a detailed plan around the upgrades of the two substations but said the metro was at an “advanced stage” in this regard.
“We are also at an advanced planning stage regarding the refurbishment of both the Mooikloof and Wapadrand substations,” he said.
“Our utility services department is the custodian of billions of rands of electricity, water and sewerage infrastructure that are key to the provision of basic services to all Tshwane residents.”
Williams didn’t elaborate on how the metro planned to curb cable theft, a problem that costs taxpayers millions.
Vandalism of municipal infrastructure has had a negative effect on the metro and its residents as it prevented the metro from providing services.
In the 2017/2018 financial year, cable theft and infrastructure vandalism cost the metro R5-million a month.
He reassured residents that the metro would prioritise safety through the procurement of among others two armoured vehicles, including a fire engine and an ambulance, nine response vehicles as well as six utility vehicles.
“We must rebuild a relationship of trust with our residents. There is only one way to do this and that is through ensuring that quality and sustainable services are delivered to them,” he said.
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