Frustrated Raslouw residents obstruct intersection to protest power outages
“Residents are reminded that all trees planted in their yards, must be maintained by residents themselves,” says the metro.
Residents from Raslouw, Centurion, took to the streets last night to protest about power outages the area had been experiencing recently.
“About 20 motor vehicles obstructed the intersection at Lion and Wierda roads from 20:00 until 23:00,” said Amore Jooste, resident and chairperson of Centurion West Ratepayers Association (CWRA).
“We are concerned about all the power outages that residents of Raslouw suffer. Upgrading of our power infrastructure has been due for a long time.”
Jooste said more development takes place, but that the existing infrastructure can hardly handle the existing load.
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According to DA councillor of ward 70, Marika Kruger-Muller upgrading of the existing infrastructure was not to be blamed for the power outage on Tuesday and Wednesday, which led to the protest action, but maintenance.
“There was a power outage on Tuesday, reference numbers were followed up by the metro, and a team was tasked to investigate that on Wednesday.
“It transpired that about 90% of the time the power outages were caused by branches of trees touching the power network. Except for a palm tree on a pavement, planted by a resident, most of these trees are located in residents’ yards.”
Kruger-Muller said the Urban Forestry department subsequently had trees pruned on sidewalks in the area on Wednesday, which are municipal property.
“The palm tree, however, was planted by a resident directly under the electrical cables. Residents must be mindful of the type of trees they plant and should take municipal networks such as power cables and water pipes into consideration when they plant trees.
“Residents are reminded that all trees planted in their yards, must be maintained by residents themselves.”
After the trees were pruned residents had had electricity for a short while, but after the heavy rainstorm Centurion then experienced, the power supply tripped and residents were once again without any electricity, she said.
“The greater part of Raslouw, nearest to Ruimte Road, and Eldoraigne extention 76 were also left without electricity then.”
According to Kruger-Muller, the protesting residents’ power was restored just after 23:00 on Wednesday, and the rest of the area, about 45 minutes later.
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