Municipality neglects Trichardt and Bethal residents yet again

HIGHVELD – Govan Mbeki Municipality has failed to comment regarding several problems in Trichardt and Bethal.

Water pipes that burst are regular problems in Bethal and when they are fixed and the roads are dug up, the road is never cleaned up.

Electrical cables also get damaged, leaving people without electricity for hours.

After the electrical cables are fixed, a big hole is left with the open wire clearly visible.

The roads are in such a bad condition that motorists either have do drive on the other side of the road or stop to be able to drive through the potholes and dug up roads slowly.

Last year, residents of The Oaks in Trichardt went to the municipality’s technical department and spoke to the supervisor responsible for electrical maintenance.

They have been reporting the same problem for more than four months, but did not get any response from the municipality.

“We told him all the street lights in our complex are not working, as well as the opposite street lights in Grey and Bekker Streets.

“It is very dark at night and poses security problems, especially over the festive period,” a resident explained.

The municipal supervisor inspected the area at the Oaks on 20 December and informed residents there was a short circuit in the lamp pole.

“He ensured us the problem would be solved in no time.

“He also promised they would return the next day to attend to the problem.

“Nothing came of his promises.

“Coming January, after numerous attempts to get hold of the supervisor on 10 January, he once more promised assistance.

“On Wednesday, 11 January at approximately 10.30am, he brought a team of five men who began to dig a hole to remove the lamp pole to get access to the cables.

“It took them quite a while to get the lamp pole out and to open the cables,” said a resident.

The next day they arrived just after 10am and began to connect and disconnect cables, opening other lamp poles and switching the electricity on and off in between.

The supervisor said a cable leading to the next lamp pole had to be replaced.

Many empty promises where made thereafter.

The lamp poles were swithced on, but were left open and anyone could gain access to the wires.

Residents asked that the lamp poles be switched off, so they could determine themselves whether the wires are live or not.

A big hole with electrical cables clearly visible was left open at The Oaks.

“What if the power gets switched on?

“Those cables could cause someone’s death,” a resident said.

The hole is still open and the rest of the lamps are still off.

Several attempts have been made to contact the municipality, but residents have not received any feedback.

The Ridge Times also contacted the municipality for comment, but have not received any.