Mamelodi residents demand permanent solution to electricity supply substation trips
Residents claim they often stay up to two weeks without electricity in winter due to the mini-substation failure.
Residents in Mamelodi Ext 22, Lusaka, are at their wits’ end over the constant power trips from their local electricity supply substation.
They are demanding an immediate redesign of the main electricity supplier, mini substation Panel 9, which feeds Ext 18 [RDP] and Ext 22 [Lusaka].
During a community meeting on Monday, Lusaka residents decided to circulate and sign a petition requesting a permanent solution from the metro to the electricity supply in the area.
Resident William Masango shared his frustration over the persistent outages in the area. Masango said the burden on the substation is caused by illegal connections from surrounding informal settlements and the growing population in the area.
“The residents in informal settlements near us are connected illegally to the substation that supplies Lusaka. So once it gets a bit windy or cold, the substation trips due to all the cables that are mixed up, putting a lot of pressure on it, then we remain without power.”
He said that as the winter approaches, the majority of the residents will be using their heaters and air conditioners, which will cause the power to trip more often.
“In winter, we can stay up to two weeks without electricity. When we report to the municipality, they take their time to attend to us,” he claimed.
He said two weeks ago, they went to raise their concerns to the municipality, however, they were turned back and told to write and sign a petition with all the affected people and submit it to the Speaker’s Office.
“The municipality seems not to care because they don’t attend to our cries, and the electricity issue is making our lives a living hell,” he said.
Ward 10 councillor Thabang Masemola said in 2022, they submitted a petition addressing the main issues affecting residents of Lusaka, including the main electricity supplier concern.
“Ever since we submitted the petition, they attended to it at the time of submission, but never gave us feedback.”
He said in the petition, they requested the separation of the Lusaka main electricity supplier from the mini substation Panel 9.
“Mini substation Panel 9 has a lot of strain from many areas, including from the informal settlements that are near, which also feed into it.”
He said power outages had become a daily burden and not only affect households but also students who need electricity to study.
“We want our main supplier to be separated from the mini substation and have a substation that supplies our area,” he said.
The metro had yet to respond to the request for comment by the time of publishing.
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