Local residents, in the Laudium/Erasmia area, are once more complaining about poor service delivery meted out by the ANC-led Tshwane Council, complaining also about the tardiness in replacing old infrastructure, which they say is now resulting in continuous problems.
Old power cables, cracking water and sewage pipes that have not been replaced for a number of decades, are the reasons why there are so many power disruptions, sewage blockages and sinkholes in the area, residents say.
In one of the latest complaints to the Laudium Sun, residents from Pearl Street in Laudium said for several years now, they have been facing problems with consistent power cuts, more so when there is a thunderstorm or even slightly windy weather.
The residents claim that they have complained numerous times to both the Council office and Cllr Patel’s office regarding the upgrading of the power cables, but to this day there has been no feedback to their complaints.
This follows another power failure in the area the past rainy and windy weekend, that lasted for 3 days, starting on Saturday (Nov 15) with power only being restored on Monday afternoon (Nov 17).
Pearl Street resident, Neeri Pillay, told the Laudium Sun, “We had a funeral at my home as my father passed away and we did not have electricity since last Saturday. The power only came back on Monday afternoon. Every time there is a thunderstorm, strong winds or continuous rainfall, residents of Pearl Street are the first to suffer. Despite numerous complaints to the office of the Council, Cllr Patel and his office, all efforts have been in vain because no one listens. Imagine having a funeral at home with no lights, because the weather is bad. It was so inconvenient. It is impossible to plan anything or feel secure in such conditions. The inconsistency of the power supply is deeply frustrating and it is difficult to understand why Cllr Patel does not address this problem, with a permanent solution. It seems that the Tshwane Council staff who work during rainy days benefit from overtime pay when working in bad weather, while residents continue to suffer. I think that the problem lies with old power cables or a faulty electricity sub-station, but whatever the reason why can’t the Council have this problem permanently fixed, perhaps even replace the old infrastructure. The community feels neglected and frustrated, as repeated requests for solutions are ignored. The recurring outages make daily life unpredictable and difficult, impacting not just major events but also regular household activities and the safety of residents. As Pearl Street residents, we hope that the authorities will recognize the seriousness of the problem and prioritize in addressing the problem permanently, even if it means replacing the infrastructure. Reliable electricity is not a luxury but a necessity and addressing this issue permanently is critical for the well being of everyone living on Pearl Street.”
Arman Sajjad, also of Pearl Street, told the Laudium Sun, “Power failures on our street are becoming a norm, as Cllr Patel does not seem to care about this area. We were without electricity for three days over the weekend, yet all the Councillor could say is that the Tshwane workers are busy and will attend to the problem eventually. Every time there is bad weather, the residents of Pearl Street are the first to suffer and this has become a regular occurrence. The situation is unacceptable and residents have had enough. Living without electricity for days at a time makes it feel as though we are living in a remote village, even though modern villages today generally do not experience such prolonged outages. The inconsistency of the power supply affects our daily life, from cooking and cleaning to staying connected with work and school, especially during exam time and for emergency services. Simple activities like keeping food fresh, heating or cooling homes and using lights safely are impossible during these outages. Residents demand immediate action to resolve the problem permanently, rather than temporary fixes or empty assurances. We, the residents of Pearl Street, demand reliable electricity and accountability from the Councillor, so that such problems do not repeat every time there is bad weather. We are part of a large city, yet we are enduring constant power outages. Urgent steps must be taken to address this persistent and really disruptive issue.”
Rebaone Matebele, another resident of Pearl Street, told the Laudium Sun, “I needed to bath and study this past weekend, but how is that possible when we have not had electricity for three days? It is completely unacceptable and so frustrating to see that all other areas in Laudium have power, yet residents of our street have to face serious inconveniences every time there is an outage. A permanent solution must be implemented to prevent these recurring issues. Residents are demanding that the Council take responsibility and address the issue properly and permanently.”
