The fire at the Van Eck substation in Brakpan was caused by the Ekurhuleni Metro’s failure to do maintenance and repairs to critical infrastructure.
The Metro drastically reduced the funds earmarked for infrastructure maintenance in the 2023/24 budget, which means that municipal workers often have to attempt to repair infrastructure, such as substations, without the necessary equipment and parts.
The cable fire that broke out last week at the Van Eck substation was presumably caused by the fact that an earth cable was stolen from the substation some time ago.
The fire halted the substation’s operations and the greatest part of Brakpan was left without electricity. The FF Plus rushed to the scene and informed fire services.
Municipal workers succeeded in restoring power to half of Brakpan within a number of hours. The rest of the power supply was restored on Saturday.
Brakpan residents also experienced water problems which were resolved by Sunday.
The FF Plus voted against the 2023/24 budget for this very reason; the party is concerned about the impact that the cutbacks will have on residents’ right to proper service delivery.
The party will keep holding the ANC/EFF-controlled Metro Council accountable for its rash decisions causing residents serious inconvenience.
The FF Plus will insist that the Metro allocates enough funds to the maintenance and repair of critical infrastructure in the 2024/25 budget, and that it is done properly.
