The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has kickstarted a major electricity repairs project aimed at removing the temporary electricity connections and replace them with permanent connections in various wards.
This comes after the Metro experienced delays in supply chain management processes while trying to procure the material needed to make permanent electricity connections.
While the Metro prioritized restoring power to residents who had reported faults by installing temporary reconnections, the trenches with the cables could not be closed as these were not permanent connections.
NMBM Electricity and Energy Mayoral Committee Member, Cllr Zanele Sikawuti said the new project would address all safety concerns in the affected areas and provide stable electricity supply to residents.
“The work started on Monday, 7 August 2023, in Ward 19. The first phase of this project is dealing with the Govan Mbeki and Lilian Diedericks clusters where we met with the affected ward councillors this week to officially introduce the project to them. While we understand the safety concerns around the trenches, our teams could not close them with the temporary connections in place. We know there were complaints during rainy days that the connections would explode at times but we are now saying that will be a thing of the past, the trenches will be closed and our people can enjoy stable power supply,” said MMC Sikawuti.
Two teams have been assigned to eradicate the backlog of about 300 temporary connections that were reported before July.
MMC Sikawuti said weather permitting, the 300 backlog would be finished by the end of October.
“Work is progressing well, some of the trenches have been closed already. However, in addition to these operational challenges we continue to be challenged with the safety concerns for our teams in the Northern Areas and Ibhayi area. It should be noted that 80% of the staff have been robbed in these areas, workers fear for their lives while on site and are constantly looking over their shoulders just to do their work.
While NMBM has got a security plan which depends on available resources through Metro Police and Metro security services, we want to call on communities to stand up against such crimes and lookout for our teams as staff members are deployed to communities to deliver services,” she added.
Concerned residents from KwaZakhele have welcomed the project saying their children would now be safe from danger.
Resident Yanelisa Mjantshi said: “We are happy to see work being done and to hear the assurance that these dangerous trenches will now be closed. We were living in danger as the connections would explode during rainy days and we would be without electricity regularly. So this is good as some of these connections are dating back to last year.”
NMB Communications
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