The Sol Plaatje Municipality in Kimberley has admitted the recent intermittent power interruptions in widespread suburbs are a “crisis”. So far, they have spent approximately R6 million on emergency repairs they can ill afford.
This comes after recent power interruptions in various suburbs of Kimberley in the late afternoon. This sparked anger among residents who complain they cannot prepare dinner or are worried about patients who rely on oxygen apparatus.
Some of the most affected areas were large parts of Galeshewe, New Park, New Hillcrest, Hillcrest, Royldene, Rhodesdene, parts of Carters Glen, Lindene, Heuwelsig and El Toro Park.
Various reasons, such as trips at substations in McDougal, Herlear and Hadison Park and vandalism at the HA Morris substation were cited as the causes. Another issue was an electrical cable fault at the high-lift pumpstation at the old Riverton Treatment Plant that caused problems and a short supply of water at the Newton reservoirs. The power interruptions also lowered water pressure all around the city as the pumps at Newton could not run.
‘Proper plans to resolve challenges’
Thabo Mothibi, municipal spokesperson, says they are investigating the issue.
These power interruptions are due to vandalism and theft that occurred on the 66kV protections panels at HA Morris substation. Due to that, technical teams had to come up with all possible solutions to restore supply. One of these is to change the configurations of the 66kV ring-network within the municipality.
“We know about all critical issues and there are proper plans to resolve all challenges for good.”
He says mayor Martha Bartlett “is leading the campaign to mobilise key stakeholders such as the police to find sustainable means to thwart what is now a crisis.
“We will provide updates on the engagements which are set to unfold in the coming week. To date, for the current financial year, losses to the tune of R6 million have been incurred as a result of theft and vandalism on our electrical infrastructure.”
Vandalism and theft, or unauthorised interference with the electrical network and aging of some electrical infrastructures, remain issues of critical concern.
Thabo Mothibi
In securing our key substations 24-hours a day, the next step would be to ensure all the critical issues have been resolved. These solutions would also include continuous maintenance and upgrade of the electrical network.”
Plans to upgrade not abandoned
The Carters Glen substation is being upgraded to ensure that some of the load from the Galeshewe substation would be diverted to Carters Glen substation to cater for future development.
“We have not abandoned plans to upgrade Hadison Park’s substation. Engagements have unfolded with the Department of Electricity and Energy aimed at soliciting funding. We will present a report to the department in the coming week.”
He says they made some changes in the past year when the MacDougall substation was vandalised.
“We have mounted security cameras; however, the attacks and acts of economic sabotage are now at an alarming rate. That is why the executive mayor is taking the lead and pushing us towards a new regime to safeguard essential electricity infrastructure.
Thabo Mothibi
“It means security patrols are not enough. We have already incurred huge financial losses. Also, we are allocating funds for repairs instead of upgrading. We are declaring war on acts of criminality.”
He claims the power interruptions are not widespread.
“We had scenarios of outages sparked by incidents of theft and vandalism with HA Morris, Galeshewe, Tyala Street in Galeshewe, MacDougall and Midlands being hotspot substations, while at Hadison Park substation there were technical failures.
“The engineering measures we are taking mean that in the case of a technical interruption, a diagnosis is done and corrective measures are taken, for instance the replacement of oil in the transformers or changing relays.
“Each project has its own timeline and it is based on the funding and scope of work, which usually occur within a financial year.”
About plans to integrate renewable energy sources into the municipal grid to improve reliability, he says Sol Plaatje “will make pronouncements once moves towards such projects unfold based on the grid within municipal boundaries.
“We are closely watching developments, and are largely guided by national legislation, Nersa’s position and considering outer boundaries related to the Eskom grid.”
Recurring power outages ‘a devastating impact’
On this matter, the Northern Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nocci) stated that the recurring power outages in Kimberley are having a devastating impact on businesses and on the daily lives of residents.
Sharon Steyn, CEO of Nocci, said the chamber urgently requests written feedback from the municipality on key issues.
Some of these issues are:
Maintenance and repairs:
- When were the substations and associated equipment last serviced?
- Have damaged components been identified and replaced?
Substation security
- Who is responsible for securing the substations?
- How is it possible that vandalism occurs in broad daylight without arrests or accountability?
- Has the municipality reported these incidents to the SAPS, and if so, have there been any investigations or arrests?
Electricity tariff increase
- The Sol Plaatje Municipality is proposing a 9,6% increase in electricity tariffs for businesses and residents, effective 1 July.
- Nocci strongly objects to this increase, especially given the ongoing service delivery failures and current economic pressures facing businesses.
Technical capacity and staffing
- Does the municipality employ a qualified electrical engineer and adequately trained electricians specialising in high-tension electrical installations?
- Is the municipality adequately staffed to maintain and upgrade its electrical infrastructure?
Municipal dependency on Eskom
- The statement that the municipality must rely on Eskom for assistance raises concern. What is the current outstanding debt owed to Eskom by Sol Plaatje Municipality?
Electrical damage and accountability
- Frequent power dips and outages are causing serious damage to business operations and household appliances.
- Who will be held accountable for these losses, especially as insurance companies are increasingly rejecting claims linked to recurring electrical faults?
Hadison Park substation grant
- A grant was reportedly awarded for the upgrade of the Hadison Park substation during the 2023-’24 financial year, but it was returned due to incomplete work. Why was the project not completed?
- Have substations been upgraded to meet the demands of newly developed extensions in the area?
Nocci urges the municipality to provide transparent responses to these questions.
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