Around 30 000 households in Vanderbijlpark were left without power on Wednesday evening after the Town substation caught fire for the third time.
With the support of local businesses, the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) replaced the roof and walls of the substation in Curry Boulevard in 2018 and again in 2024.
The party repeatedly warned the Emfuleni Local Municipality (Evaton, Sebokeng, Vaal Oewer, Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging) that the substation is being overloaded and that urgent upgrades are needed. These warnings fell on deaf ears.
Currently, only a single 30 MVA transformer is connected to the system, which is hopelessly inadequate. The substation is unable to supply power to the extensive area of the CW 1, 2, 3 and 5 regions (Bophelong, Bonanne, Stephano Park and surrounding smallholdings).
In addition, these communities keep growing and that puts even more pressure on the substation.
Residents of Bophelong do not pay for electricity supply, making it difficult for the Municipality to accurately determine the area’s power consumption.
The party will keep putting pressure on the Emfuleni Municipality to compel it to upgrade the substation.
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