GMM continues to minimise electricity overloading in eMbalenhle
“As we are connecting Wela’s (part of Ext 18) to the mobile transformer, we want to see the balance in electricity supply and minimise the overloading of the Ext 5 substation and also avoid overloading the mobile transformer.
After the arrival of a mobile transformer five months ago at Bracken substation, many extensions were disconnected from the overloaded Ext 5 substations and got connected to the mobile transformer.
These are extensions 4,9,12,15 and part of Ext 14 where the community is now experiencing less municipal load-shedding unless there is a breakdown or faulty transformers.
Part of Ext 18 is also connected to the mobile transformer and the municipality said they are reducing overloading of Ext 5 which is still under pressure because of consumption and electricity theft.
“As we are connecting Wela’s (part of Ext 18) to the mobile transformer, we want to see the balance in electricity supply and minimise the overloading of the Ext 5 substation and also avoid overloading the mobile transformer.
“We are taking the small potion of Ext 18 to check on the mobile transformer reaction. If it still allows us space to connect other extensions, then we will continue.
“Community should also know that not everyone will be connected to the mobile transformer.
“ The municipality’s plan is to minimise load and electricity cuts at the Ext 5 substation, and we are appealing to the community to be patient as we are trying bring stable electricity,” said Mr Lucky Mhlongo, municipal communication officer.
Dreams of having electricity without municipal load-shedding, especially during winter, have recently become a reality for eMbalenhle residents when a mobile transformer arrived at the Bracken substation.
Desperate residents took their anger to the street to demonstrate against the non-stop municipal load-shedding in June this year.
Their protest led to the torching of the newly built municipal offices and a 16-year-old boy was shot dead.
The same offices were burnt down three years ago when residents demanded that Govan Mbeki Municipality hand over the electricity supply to Eskom.
Many businesses, including the eMbalenhle Mall, were torched and looted during that protest action.
