Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Estelle Noordman and Sesotho soundbite by David Masoeu MPL.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will escalate its call for urgent preventative maintenance of the electricity grid in Kopanong, following a three-day power outage in Jagersfontein caused by a faulty cable that was exacerbated during strong winds. A new cable must be installed to restore a stable electricity supply.
In response to the recent outage, the DA will formally request a detailed breakdown of all infrastructure upgrades and maintenance carried out by Lesedi to Afrika since its appointment in September 2024. This follows only vague responses to previous queries submitted to the MEC of CoGTA, Saki Mokoena.
According to Lesedi to Afrika, the root cause of the problem was identified as a faulty power cable, which is particularly affected by strong winds. The service provider confirmed that a new cable would need to be installed to permanently resolve the issue.
However, it is of serious concern that this problem has persisted for approximately eight months without a lasting solution.
Residents of small towns such as Jagersfontein are severely impacted by prolonged power outages, which affect households, businesses, healthcare, education, and the overall quality of life.
Communities continue to struggle to cope without this essential service, and the prolonged delays in service delivery are unacceptable. There is an urgent need to prioritise preventative maintenance of the electricity grid across Kopanong to stabilise the electricity supply.
Residents call on the relevant authorities and service providers to expedite preventative maintenance and to communicate transparently with the community regarding progress.