MMC for Environment & Infrastructure Services Department (EISD) Cllr. Michael Sun is calling on residents of Eldorado Park to work with City Power (CP) in solving the long-term power restoration challenges faced by the community since April. 

“The supply of uninterrupted power to the community of Eldorado Park is becoming near impossible with the rate of cable theft in the area,” Cllr. Michael Sun said.

“The city of Johannesburg cannot replace cable and infrastructure faster than it is being stolen. I am pleading with all residents to work with City Power, the JMPD, SAPS and local councillors to arrest this untenable situation.”

Matters came to a head when the Eldorado Park substation blew up during Easter weekend in April due to overloading. As technicians worked tirelessly to restore supply, thieves pounced on the opportunity to steal cable and power components while the power was down. 

“Lengths of cable ripped out of the ground by thieves have been repaired with joints as a temporary measure but we have reached the point that the amount of joints on each line makes supply unstable,” Cllr. Sun said.

“It is a simple fact that this infrastructure is not designed to run high-voltage power through cables with so many temporary joints in place.”

No less than 28km of cable now needs to be replaced in the short to medium term to sustainably resolve the power situation in the area. City Power has devised a strategy that will see all faults currently being experienced dealt with in the shortest time possible within the confines of legally mandated supply chain procedures and processes.

Short term solutions to faulty circuits and components affecting the Eldorado Park and Nancefield substations has already commenced and is planned to be completed by the 19th of June. However, while multi-kilometre cable replacements feeding power to the Lotus, Hopefield and Soweto substations are already underway, it is set to be completed by the end of July. City Power has gone all out to ensure that the problems are fixed soonest whilst fully complying with the process and legal requirements.

“There are certain members of the community exploiting the situation to try and gain prominence off the back of this crisis and sow divisions among residents,” Cllr. Sun said.

“The people of Eldorado Park must not be taken advantage of and rest assured that the matter will be decisively dealt with. But this can only be done with their help and assistance.”

 

Issued by Gauteng MMC for Environment & Infrastructure Services Department (EISD) Cllr. Michael Sun