Unmarked pylons north of Duvha spark questions as Eskom denies role

Residents and councillors have reported the appearance of steel pylon structures and earthworks north of Duvha Power Station, but Eskom has told reporters it is not responsible for the works.

What observers saw

Motorists using the road near Duvha noticed sections of land cleared every few kilometres, bases being built and steel structures being unloaded. Reports to the paper said the pylons would be erected on land north of Duvha, including areas beyond the Aerorand neighbourhood.

Eskom response

According to The Citizen (Middelburg Observer), after several weeks and several apologies for the delay, Eskom sent a brief reply denying involvement. The paper quotes Eskom:

“Our sincere apologies for the delay in sending you the response. Eskom can confirm that it does not have a project at Duvha Power Station or in the surrounding areas that corresponds with the activities described in your enquiry.”

Conflicting accounts from former employees and councillors

According to The Citizen (Middelburg Observer), former Eskom employees who spoke to the paper on condition of anonymity said the works are part of an Eskom project to provide power to Groblersdal and the surrounding area.

One former employee was quoted by The Citizen (Middelburg Observer):

“The power line should have been built years ago. It is definitely an Eskom project, but contractors are probably handling the construction of the power line. It has yet to be decided whether the line will be built up to Marble Hall.”

Because the pylons are being built on municipal land, municipal councillors were contacted. According to The Citizen (Middelburg Observer), a councillor said:

“A 440kV line is being built from Duvha to Groblersdal.”

Costs and routing

According to The Citizen (Middelburg Observer), power can only be routed north from Duvha Power Station, which is owned by Eskom, and the paper reports that erecting a heavy-duty national grid pylon costs between R3m and R4m.

Next steps

The Citizen (Middelburg Observer) reported the differing accounts between Eskom, former employees and local councillors. The paper’s reporting documents the visible construction activity and the utility’s denial; it does not provide an independent confirmation of who commissioned the works.