- Eskom acknowledges the concerns raised by the Majakaneng community, following a protest that led to the closure of the N4 road.
- The demonstration was driven by ongoing electricity outages and broader service delivery frustrations, including water supply challenges that fall under the responsibility of the local municipality.
The primary cause of the outages is the overloading of the local electricity network, which has necessitated the implementation of load reduction measures to prevent system failure. These measures are essential to protect the infrastructure.
While the issue of electricity purchasing was not discussed in full during the engagement, Eskom notes with concern that out of more than 3 500 registered customers in the area, only 697 are actively purchasing electricity. Additionally, illegal connections have placed further strain on the network, contributing to the overload and resulting in outages. To safeguard the system from a complete shutdown, Eskom is forced to implement load reduction.
Eskom emphasises that for services to be sustained and improved, they must be paid for. Eskom urges all residents to use electricity legally and responsibly, and to support efforts aimed at restoring and maintaining a reliable supply.
Madibeng Municipality, which includes Majakaneng, owes Eskom R1.481 billion. This is part of a larger debt owed by the municipality to various creditors, totalling almost R2 billion. The municipality faces allegations of maladministration and corruption.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
1 Comment
Madbeng municipality doesn’t do anything to enforce compliance to payments for services it provides. Eskom too! I can’t see why they can’t remove all illegal connections and like charges against offenders. And being from Majakaneng, it is not entirely true the issue of load reduction. These power outages are concentrated in certain parts of Majakaneng. My home is in that part where the power will be out for days whereas the neighborhoods enjoy no power outages.