Damaged mobile transformer leaves eMbalenhle community in limbo

Dreams of having electricity without municipal load reduction, especially during winter, became a reality for eMbalenhle residents when a mobile transformer arrived at the Bracken substation last year.

After its arrival, the Govan Mbeki Municipality (GMM) decided to move some of the extensions receiving electricity from the overloaded Ext 5 substation and connect these to the mobile transformer.

That not only relieved the overloaded substation, but also minimised outages.

However, it was reported on Wednesday night, June 15, that the extensions 4, 9, 12,15 and part of Ext. 14 and Welas, which are connected to the mobile transformer, are without power due to a blown gasket and oil leak from the mobile transformer.

Eskom’s technical team was summoned. GMM later released a statement on the technicians’ findings.

According to the statement, numerous tests and analyses were carried out, and it was discovered that the transformer is damaged and must be replaced.

Eskom is now looking for a replacement.

Meanwhile, residents were without electricity for almost a week while the tests on the mobile transformer were conducted.

After several days, the municipality decided to reconnect the affected extensions back to the already overloaded Ext 5 substation.

This left the community divided.Some are not happy with this reconnection because it will increase demand and lead to outages.

“The municipality brought the mobile transformer because our substation was overloaded and unable to supply us with electricity. It was about to explode.

“Now the municipality is taking us back to that situation.

“Why don’t they wait for another transformer?

“Where is that permanent transformer for which the municipality had paid millions of rand to be built at Bracken?” asked Doctor Thanjekwayo, a resident affected by the electricity outages.

“The residents are wondering if the municipality has skilled electricians or are they merely comrades and relatives of the politicians?

“From the beginning, the mobile transformer was a temporary solution,” said Thanjekwayo.

He said residents suffer every winter and the municipality only remembers the eMbalenhle electricity crisis during winter.

Nhlakanipho Zuma, the executive mayor of GMM, told Ridge Times the municipality and Eskom are looking for a replacement for the mobile transformer.

“The municipality has done its part in the Bracken substation project. Eskom must bring a permanent transformer.”

According to Zuma, Eskom has appointed contractors for this project.

“For now, we will be supplying the whole township with electricity from the Ext 5 substation.

“The community must know that they will experience load-shedding, even in those areas that were not previously affected,” said Zuma.

“We are aware that our substation is about to explode. This is the reason we appointed a contractor that is repairing the two panels that were identified as problematic and can cause an explosion.

“Sasol is also assisting us.

“The company has appointed a contractor who will be installing new panels at the Ext 5 substation.

“We have already completed the refurbishment of the ring 3 substation.

“Our community needs to see that we are tackling the electricity crisis of eMbalenhle,” said Zuma.

He apologised to all those who will be affected until Eskom installed a new mobile transformer.

“We are not sure when it will arrive,” Zuma said.

The mayor said Eskom is in the process of sourcing another mobile transformer and it is not in the municipality’s power to say when it will be available.

“We hope that it will arrive soon.

“Our task is to make sure that the whole township gets electricity at different times by sharing the little Notified Maximum Demand (NMD) available,” said Zuma.

Desperate residents had taken to the street to demonstrate against the non-stop municipal load-shedding last year.

Their protest led to the torching of the newly built municipal offices.

A 16-year-old boy was shot dead during that protest.