The fact that just over 300 of Ekurhuleni’s 24 139 anti-cable theft devices are still in working order proves that the ANC/EFF coalition could not care less about the inconvenience and extra costs that residents and businesses must endure due to cable theft.
This revelation was made by the Ekurhuleni Metro’s ANC Mayoral Committee Member for Finance, Jongizizwe Dlabathi.
These sensors, purchased at a cost of R352 million, are supposed to detect vibrations, cable cutting or suspicious tampering with power cables and substations, and immediately send an alert to a control room.
Dlabathi laid the blame for the failure of the project at the door of his predecessor, the EFF’s Nkululeko Dunga, even though the ANC and EFF are still coalition partners in Ekurhuleni.
This blame-shifting clearly demonstrates that the ruling coalition puts its internal power struggles above the interests of residents.
While political partners are pointing fingers at each other, thousands of residents are stranded without power for days on end as a result of ongoing cable theft.
This project, which was supposed to function as an effective early-warning system, has instead become a symbol of maladministration, corruption and a complete lack of accountability.
Therefore, the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) demands that the following steps be taken immediately:
• Disciplinary and criminal investigations into all officials and political office-bearers involved in the procurement, implementation and management of the project;
• Clear and enforceable consequences for anyone found guilty of maladministration or misconduct;
• A comprehensive, transparent report tabled to Council detailing exactly how the R352 million was spent and why the vast majority of the devices are now unusable.
If the probe reveals that a delayed tender procedure was the cause, the Freedom Front Plus demands a report, to be tabled at the next council meeting, indicating what the delay is and how the process can be expedited.
The Freedom Front Plus wants to reiterate that Ekurhuleni’s biggest problem is not funding, but serious governance and accountability problems. Millions are squandered with residents paying the price with prolonged power outages and unsafe communities.
The party will not allow this scandal to be swept under the carpet.
Residents deserve better than a government that cannot even safeguard its own infrastructure.
