Unprotected mini substation to blame for power cuts
Most of the interruptions are apparently due to equipment stolen from mini substation 424 on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Ninth Street.
Business people in Springs are growing frustrated with constant electricity interruptions.
Most of the interruptions are apparently due to equipment stolen from mini substation 424 on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Ninth Street.
“The substation was broken into on Tuesday morning. We called the police and they did not come. We also reported it to the municipality,” explained Hermien Meyer, from a business on Eighth Avenue.
He said the mini substation is targeted during load-shedding when the thieves know the equipment is not live.
The equipment in the substation was replaced and the power was restored on Thursday.
“They are putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound. There is no permanent solution to the problem. They don’t understand that some of us cannot work when there is no electricity,” said Hein Snibbe, who is a printer.
“I can lose more than five clients during the two days that we are off.”
Charles Krugell, another businessman, said the area also looks like a dumpsite.
“We cannot conduct business in a place like this. It is a slump. It is as if the metro does not want us here,” he said.
Also read: Electricity usage patterns explained
The group paid for trees to be cut and rubbish to be removed around the mini substation.
“Initially the people that attended to our query said they could not fix the wall where it was broken because of all the trees. We made a plan and had them cut just so the municipal workers could fix the wall and replace whatever was stolen in the substation,” said Meyer.
The group spent close to R5 000 for the cleanup.
“The metro treats us like we are not their clients. We pay for services, but we don’t get any,” added Krugell.
Comment was requested from the City of Ekurhuleni but none was received at the time of publication.
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