Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi just can’t tell the truth about the restoration of power and the replacement of transformers in Midrand Ward 78 in Ivory Park. Despite calling residents to a ‘Siya Transformer – Transformer Replacement Meeting’ at Qinisweni Secondary School on Sunday 18 February 2024 at 18:00, thousands of residents of Ward 78, Extensions 5 through 13, remain in the dark.
Over 100 residents stood in the rain, outside the Eqinisweni Secondary School, for more than two hours waiting for news on the return of electricity to the area. Not only were the transformers not repaired, replaced or reconnected, but not one official arrived at the function – not even Lie-sufi himself – to explain the lack of progress or action to address the lack of electricity in the area.
In terms of the DA’s Seven-Point Rescue Plan for South Africa, this would have never been allowed to continue. The DA is committed to halving the rate of violent crime, including murder, attempted murder and gender-based violence once we are voted into office in May 2024. The same cannot be said of the ANC.
On 24 January 2023, I called on Eskom and the SAPS to urgently address Eskom’s stubborn refusal to replace and/or repair 37 transformers that had robbed residents of power in the area since 2019. In a press release of that date, I quoted a highly placed senior source in Midrand who said that since 2019 City Power had been escalating queries for the replacement and reconnection of Eskom transformers in Ivory Park to enable City Power to reconnect streetlights and electrical connections. This was in an effort to protect vulnerable women and children who daily fall prey to thieves and gangsters who either rob or rape them – especially once the sun has gone down. Nothing had been done.
The source said: “Eskom, because of its complete inability to effectively protect and regulate its revenue collection – refuses to maintain and reconnect the transformers. The result is thousands of paying customers remain without streetlights and electricity, making them vulnerable to the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) and rape.”
Ivory Park and Tembisa are in the top 30 hotspots in the country for contact crimes, especially GBV and rape. Their hopelessly understaffed and corrupt SAPS stations cannot cope with the rising number of crimes.
On 12 September 2023, I delivered a Member’s statement in Parliament in which I charged both Ministers Gwede Mantashe and Bheki Cele with dereliction of duty for their failure to listen to the plight of the more than 2 800 women and children whose cases of GBV and rape were reported to the Ivory Park Police Station, and the more than 3 800 men, women and children GBV whose cases against were reported to the Tembisa Police Station between 1 January 2020 and 30 September 2022. Still, nothing was done.
I am now calling on Premier Lesufi to make good on his promises. Replace, repair and reconnect the 37 transformers in Ward 78 in Ivory Park … or vacate your office for someone who does follow through on their promises.