RESIDENTS of Soshanguve Block T, Tshwane are not happy.
They are concerned about their kids' safety and that the damaged electricity poles may cause fatalities.
Following a severe windstorm that devastated Tshwane two weeks ago, causing damage to homes, vehicles, and infrastructure, residents of Soshanguve in Block T have been reporting power poles leaning to the side of the road in their kasi.
Resident Rose Mphahlele told Daily Sun that they have been reporting the poles for a week, but the city is not helping them.
She said they were alarmed and in fear because both poles are towards the right side of Sekgwati Street, and electric lines are hanging 1,5 metres above the ground.
“The minor tornado was the reason behind the damaged poles on that Sunday morning. Pretoria was trending with much damage on social media and in the news. The poles are exposed in addition posing a risk to the kasi people.
“It’s been far too long. This could lead to cable theft, which would also prolong the area's power outages. Prevention is better than cure. The city knows and understands the risk this damage poses, we don't know if they are waiting for someone to die before they deliver services to vulnerable residents,” said Mphahlele.
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The Transformation Alliance (TTA) demands that the City of Tshwane fix the power poles to prevent any possible fatalities. Mpho Baloyi, the regional president of TTA Tshwane, clarified that the locals had been complaining to them repeatedly without success.
"It's anticipated that the reasons for not providing services would have ended by now and that these kinds of incidents would be given priority, given the reports that the employee strike is over," he stated.
City of Tshwane spokesman Lindela Mashego told Daily Sun that the area informally known as Jukulyn has been marked as a crime hotspot after numerous hostages and robbery incidents that the electricity team has experienced in the northern Soshanguve townships.
He said that the electricity teams had been robbed of their personal belongings and were being hijacked while on duty.
Furthermore, he said that the entire team was forced to vacate the Soshanguve Block KK offices for almost a year due to the hostility that was directed towards the officials.
“The team has resolved that all service delivery complaints in the area shall be attended to in the presence of security personnel (TMPD or SAPS)," he said, adding that the complaint is noted and shall be attended to as soon as a security escort for the electricians is made available.
