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Germiston Residents Rally Outside Ekurhuleni Council Chambers Over Power Crisis
Germiston residents protested over the power crisis outside the City of Ekurhuleni’s council chambers as members of the LamDel Residents and Primrose Ratepayers associations, along with the Primrose Business Forum, staged a protest over the persistent electricity issues in Germiston. This demonstration of frustration took the form of a picket, with participants delivering a memorandum of grievances to key municipal figures.
The memorandum went to Mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana, MMC for Water, Sanitation and Energy Leshaka Manamela, and councillors representing wards 35, 36, 39, and 92. The assembled residents, spanning generations, united in their demand for viable solutions to Germiston’s energy challenges.
Central to the memorandum was the assertion that the community seeks to shed light on the prolonged energy crises that have adversely affected Germiston. Additionally, the memo highlighted concerns regarding the perceived inadequacies in the council’s approach to resolving these crises.
Jakkie Janse van Vuuren, Chairperson of the LamDel Residents Association, emphasised the deeply rooted worries about service delivery shortcomings, management inefficiencies, and the perceived lack of accountability from the city authorities and the Germiston depot.
The associations and forum assert that the ongoing electricity crisis is not merely inconvenient but fundamentally detrimental to Germiston’s well-being. This sentiment stems from believing that such conditions stifle developmental progress and that investments become unsustainable.
In their memorandum, community members stressed that critical services cannot function amidst consistent power outages. They contended that people with disabilities and those in critical care suffer immensely due to the lack of essential services. Furthermore, the associations noted a correlation between the electricity crisis and increased crime rates, citing compromised safety and security.
Also read: City Vows to Resolve Germiston’s Power Crisis
The memorandum listed a series of demands:
- An inquiry into the inefficiencies of the Germiston energy depot management and measures to enhance its functionality.
- Implementation of an action plan to enhance service delivery, encompassing the provision of necessary tools, parts, and protective equipment for technicians.
- Deployment of a fully resourced electrical team with the appropriate vehicles.
- Review and restructure shift and overtime policies and reinstatement of standby teams.
- Ensuring an apolitical electrical operations team.
- Appointment of capable management that is free from threats and sabotage.
- CoE’s accountability for turnaround times.
- A comprehensive strategy to combat illegal connections, accompanied by a task team to bolster security measures.
- Mayor’s intervention against substandard performance by operational teams and their subsequent accountability.
- Establishment of regular maintenance practices, investments, and operational services for substations.
- Transparent communication about electricity provision.
Jakkie Janse van Vuuren conveyed frustration at the apparent lack of response from the mayor and city manager despite numerous previous attempts to address these concerns.
MMC accepted the memorandum for Environment and Waste, Clr Eunice Matloga, who assured residents that relevant departments would respond within two weeks.
Source: Germiston residents picket for power crisis outside CoE’s council
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Picture: Pixabay / Michael Schwarzenberger
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