Residents doubt power outages a result of cable theft

More than 300 residents of Menlo Park, Hazelwood, Maroelana and Brooklyn have petitioned the metro to investigate the regular power outages they have been experiencing since February 1.

Residents, councillors, businesses, contractors and the metro are all perplexed by these outages.

Various allegations have been made as speculation in the absence of reliable information is the order of the day.

One of these allegations is that developments in the area, such as the construction of the Bendehuis building as a part of the Village Walk development at the Old East Precinct located at 16th Street, might add to the problem.
It is believed it might create an overload on the system or municipal cables might have been damaged during construction.

The developers, the Atterbury Group, told Rekord they appreciate engagement with the local community and remain dedicated to ensuring that their developments enhance the areas in which they operate.

Armond Boshoff, CEO of Atterbury Property said the development in the Old East Precinct is in full compliance with all legal and municipal requirements, including environmental impact assessments, infrastructure studies, and the approvals obtained before construction.

“As part of our investment in the area, Atterbury has spent more than R9.5-million on road, electricity and storm-water upgrades in Hazelwood alone. We have made significant infrastructure enhancements, including improvements to roads, electricity, and water services, to support a world-class precinct that benefits both businesses and the surrounding community,” said Boshoff.

He said the development is not the cause of power disruptions in the area.

“These outages are part of a broader issue affecting multiple suburbs in the city. Our project adheres to the approved electrical infrastructure plans and does not place additional strain on the existing network,” said Boshoff.

He believes that the older, often under-maintained municipal electricity infrastructure is partially to blame.

Some residents also feel that potholes in this area have become worse since construction began because of the number of trucks coming to and fro from the site.

Boshoff acknowledged that ongoing construction can temporarily impact surrounding roads.

“However, the precinct is being enhanced through infrastructure improvements, including road upgrades as part of the construction project. We remain committed to maintaining the area’s condition,” he said.

He also committed that the group will repair the roads immediately around the building as soon as the development is completed.

Residents are frustrated by the traffic disruptions around the construction site, especially during peak traffic after 16:00. They also find the road to the back of the development difficult to navigate because of construction trucks.

Boshoff said the group and its contractors follow strict guidelines to minimise disruptions.

“Construction activities are conducted within approved working hours, and traffic management measures are implemented where necessary. Once completed, this development will contribute positively to the precinct by bringing more security and business opportunities to the community.”

Local ward councillor Siobhan Muller has her own take on the reasons for these outages.

“Is it because of an overload in the area because of the development of new buildings? I do not believe so as the metro provided extra substations such as on 21st and 22nd streets when these developments started and the developers have made some investments into the infrastructure themselves,” she said.

“To me, there is a persistent problem in a ring that runs from Lynnwood South into Menlo Park, Hazelwood and Maroelana. The contractors and staff are not finding the problem why the power is going off and can give us no information on that,” Muller said.

The metro responded to residents who doubted that cable theft was to blame for every power outage.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said, “There is however a generic view that the outages may be ascribed to cable theft partially”.

He said the power outages at the beginning of February were caused by an overload on one of the rings at Maroelana-substation resulting in damage to the substation.

“The overloading was influenced by a marginal shift of a few components from a dedicated supply that had a fault on it. This was repaired and the load is currently under monitoring,” said Mashigo.

Some residents believe that street tree encroachment can be the source of the power outages.

Mashigo said this aspect will be investigated when reported.

“Trees will be inspected and those found with an encroachment risk below 300mm will be pruned. Residents with trees in their yard encroaching on the network will be alerted to prune them accordingly.”

Mashigo said “All the substations servicing the area are capable” of supplying electricity to the area.

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