Residents are still battling with electricity problems in eMbalenhle, eMzinoni and Bethal
They have formed a committee comprising of residents and local business people from both eMzinoni, Bethal and Milan Park and have named themselves the Bethal & eMzinoni Community for Service (Becs) Association.
HIGHVELD – Mr Felani Mndebele, municipal manager, claims that the electricity upgrades in eMbalenhle are in its completion stage.
He recently notified the local command council that Bigen Africa, service provider, has reported that the project is at 99 per cent complete.
The service provider was supposed to complete this project in October; however the municipality reported that they encountered some challenges which made it impossible for Bigen Africa to meet its deadline.
Mr Mndebele said the challenge is to get a mobile transformer.
He said Eskom has put forward stringent conditions to the municipality before the transformer could be delivered.
“However, Bigen African informed me that they are engaging Eskom at a high level.
“They indicated that it looks like we will get the mobile transformer, but did not indicate when.”
Speaking about the electricity situation at eMzinoni and Bethal, Mr Mndebele said the Gert Sibande District Municipality (GSDM) is now handling the matter and has promised that a service provider will be appointed by 1 October.
Also read: Executive mayor blames electricity theft for Govan Mbeki Municipality’s struggle to pay Eskom
This service provider will manage the electricity network in eMzinoni and Bethal and also assist with maintenance.
In the meanwhile, residents of eMbalenhle continue to face power outage.
Most parts of eMbalenhle are without electricity for more than eight hours a day.
The municipality blamed this on electricity theft and the Notified Maximum Demand implemented by Eskom.
Residents in Bethal and eMzinoni have decided to take legal actions against the municipality.
They have formed a committee comprising of residents and local business people from both eMzinoni, Bethal and Milan Park and have named themselves the Bethal & eMzinoni Community for Service (Becs) Association.
This association has already begun with legal action against GMM.
This comes after residents have been fighting endless battles about no electricity, no water, poor road conditions, sewage problems and the lack of general, paid for, service delivery.
Ms Thandi Ngxonono, executive mayor, recently informed the council about this association and raised her concerns about the dissatisfaction of the residents of the Govan Mbeki Municipality.
She instructed the municipal manager to fast tract the processes of dealing with the electricity problems in the area.
Also read: Bethal and eMzinoni surrounded by pollution
