Municipal

Residents fume over ‘dangerous fix’ after power outage

City Power has committed to resolving the situation, but residents remain on edge, hoping that their concerns will be taken seriously and that the necessary steps will be taken to safeguard their homes and community.

Residents of the Hercules complex were left in the dark during the festive season after a power outage that began on December 20.

While power has been restored, the aftermath of an ongoing electrical fault has left them with serious concerns about the safety and security of their electrical infrastructure.

The power outage problem started when a malfunction led City Power to attempt a cable replacement. However, during this process, the transformer blew, leaving the complex in the dark for several days. Despite numerous efforts by residents to log tickets with City Power, it wasn’t until much later that a temporary fix was implemented.

The cable fix inside the sub is what the residents referred to as a ‘dangerous fix’. Photo: Neliswa Sibiya.

City Power’s spokesperson Isaac Mangena confirmed that a temporary fix was carried out to restore power as quickly as possible. However, this has been met with frustration and concerns from the residents of Hercules Complex. While the lights are back on, residents have criticised the quality of the repairs, with some referring to it as a ‘dangerous fix’.

The sub-boxes, which house crucial electrical components, were left open, leaving exposed cables vulnerable to both weather conditions and theft. This exposure has raised concerns among residents about the safety and security of the complex, especially considering the risks of vandalism or theft in the area.

Dale Wojt. Photo: Neliswa Sibiya.

Dale Wojt, one of the complex trustees, expressed her frustration with the situation.

“City Power’s temporary fix was necessary to restore power, but the fact that the boxes were left open, with cables exposed, is extremely concerning. It creates a safety hazard, and we’re worried about potential criminal activity around our electrical infrastructure.”

City Power acknowledged the temporary nature of the fix, noting that the extreme weather conditions in the region, including heavy rainfall and flooding, had already put a strain on the company’s systems, leading to delays in repair efforts.

These are some of the exposed cables. Photo: Neliswa Sibiya.

“While we did implement a temporary fix to restore power as quickly as possible, we acknowledge that this was not ideal but had to be done under the circumstances we were faced with. We have assigned a team to return to the site to carry out a permanent repair,” Mangena said.

Regarding the security concerns, Mangena assured that City Power is addressing the issue by replacing the missing door to the sub-box and ensuring it is securely welded shut to prevent further exposure or potential theft.

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