The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) is deeply concerned about the ongoing power outages affecting large parts of Boksburg, including Jet Park, Witfield, Comet, Boksburg North and surrounds, since the weekend.
These outages are reportedly caused by attempted cable theft on one of the city’s 132kV main lines near the N12, which severely damaged infrastructure.
What exacerbates the situation is the poor communication and lack of transparency from the Ekurhuleni Metro during this crisis.
Despite numerous requests, the Metro’s team initially ignored the Freedom Front Plus’s attempts to confirm the actual cause of the outage. After pressure from councillors, the Metro eventually confirmed that the cause is cable theft and that repair work is delayed because the crime scene falls within a SANRAL servitude.
According to the Metro, a temporary load rotation system has been implemented between 08:00 and 17:00, whereby Jet Park remains online while other areas, including Witfield, Comet, Boksburg North and the OR Tambo Hospital, are not supplied with electricity.
The repairs could take up to five days, as structural reinforcement is also required.
Residents and businesses are suffering significant losses due to this incident, but it is the Metro’s failure to communicate effectively and act swiftly that sparked most anger.
It is unacceptable that residents and councillors are left in the dark – literally and figuratively – for hours as the Metro’s teams simply refuse to confirm what is going on. This lack of accountability and communication is precisely why public trust in Ekurhuleni’s administration is being eroded.
The Freedom Front Plus calls on Ekurhuleni to:
- Immediately implement a comprehensive security plan to prevent cable theft, particularly at critical 132kV lines.
- Implement better emergency communication protocols to ensure councillors and residents are promptly and fully informed.
- Explain why it took so long to obtain permission from SANRAL to start repairs.
The party will raise this matter at the next Energy Portfolio Committee meeting and demand answers from the Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Mzayifani Ngwenya.
Lastly, the Freedom Front Plus insists on a full report on the handling of this incident, as well as an overview of the Metro’s plans to prevent similar incidents in the future.
