City Power to address load-shedding woes following DA pressure

In a resounding triumph for residents, DA councillors have successfully compelled City Power to acknowledge the frustrations caused by their management of load-shedding.

Following a series of press interviews, rigorous questioning in section 79 oversight committees, and oversight visits, the diligent efforts of DA councillors have borne fruit as City Power commits to revamping the schedule to provide residents with longer periods of uninterrupted power.

The persistent pursuit of accountability by DA councillors underscores the commitment to representing the needs of residents. The acknowledgment by City Power is a testament to the power of collaborative efforts between councillors and residents, and the importance of holding entities accountable for the services they provide.

While expressing gratitude to the residents for standing in solidarity with them, the DA acknowledges the unfortunate silence from the Mayor and the MMC of EIS (water and power) during this period of chaos. Despite recognising the challenges posed by years of maladministration and corruption on City Power, we as the DA emphasize the need for the Executive to demonstrate leadership and support in times of crisis.

In light of the Mayor’s absence and the ensuing instability within the coalition of Doom, we the DA councillors in opposition benches advocate for the dissolution of the council. The call for a dissolution of council comes from our belief that the rights of all residents must be fought for, going beyond party interests.

The DA remains steadfast in its commitment to advocating for the well-being of all residents and we urge all stakeholders to unite in addressing the challenges posed by years of governance issues.

Through collaboration and a collective focus on the greater good, the DA aims to foster positive change and ensure a brighter future for Joburg residents.

DA calls on Mayor Moerane to resign after Eskom and City Power expose him as a liar

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg notes the stunning turn of events where City Power and Eskom have smacked down Mayor Mpho Moerane’s misleading lies, and have exposed him as a political gimmick, after this morning’s sudden announcement that City customers will no longer be protected from loadshedding.

Following Eskom’s implementation of stage 2 loadshedding last week, Moerane stated that the City of Johannesburg rejected loadshedding, claiming that City Power had the capacity to protect residents from stages 1 and 2. This was very shortly followed by City Power announcing the Joburg loadshedding schedule, only to then retract and state that City customers would be protected from loadshedding. Despite this, residents across the City were still switched off according to the schedule.

This was absolutely nothing more than a cheap, shallow and inconsiderate election stunt by the ANC. In a media statement yesterday, I exposed this lie and laid bare the facts of how it was impossible for City Power to offset loadshedding using additional supply from the Kelvin Power Station.

The confusion around whether residents would experience loadshedding or not, was unnecessary and selfish. This once again proves the ANC’s inability to govern effectively, and rely only on blatant election lies as a last ditch effort to win votes.

The DA calls on Mayor Moerane to resign for this terrible failure of responsible leadership. This is not a man worthy of the role of Mayor.

Mashaba: Only way to end City Power cuts is to cut ANC power

Note to editors: The following statement was made by DA Mayoral Candidate for Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, who is currently conducting oversight visits in Ennerdale, Lawley, and Klipspruit West. Mashaba is accompanied by DA Johannesburg Regional Chairperson, Khume Ramulifho; DA Caucus Leader in the Johannesburg City Council, Vasco Da Gama; and DA Shadow MMC for Environment, Infrastructure and Service Delivery in Johannesburg, Ralf Bittkau.

Today I am visiting the communities of Ennerdale, Lawley, and Klipspruit West, which, like a number of other communities across Joburg, have been suffering from ongoing power cuts since Sunday.

This is happening at a time that Joburg is in the grips of the coldest weather experienced this year and it is unacceptable for City Power to have widespread cuts.

Joburg suffers from at least 300 power outages a month. This equates to at least 10 power outages a day.

It is abundantly clear that City Power is failing in its responsibility to provide the people of Joburg with access to electricity.

City Power lacks skilled technical staff and chooses rather to employ subcontractors. The use of contractors with only limited supervision leaves the system open to abuse and corruption.

When elected Mayor on 3 August, my administration will immediately budget for the employment of additional technicians and an artisan programme within City Power to train electricians and essential technical staff.

The current allocation of two technicians per region, per shift, is simply unsustainable.

Mayor Tau’s silence on this ongoing crisis must be condemned and Tau should explain to the people of Joburg why his government has failed so dismally to provide City Power with the necessary resources and manpower to ensure effective and efficient maintenance of electricity infrastructure.

Although City Power has a maintenance plan, they always react to maintenance problems rather than investing time and resources to proactively ensure that infrastructure is properly maintained.

The Auditor-General (A-G) made some damning findings with regard to City Power in last year’s annual report.

19% of Joburg’s electricity was lost, resulting in R2.3 billion in lost revenue.

R841 million of this was lost as a result of technical losses, which is power lost during transmission.

This means nearly R1 billion worth of electricity was lost as a result of an inability to maintain electricity infrastructure.

We would be remiss to underestimate the contribution of cable theft to this ongoing problem, and the City must face this challenge head-on and allocate necessary resources and manpower to curb this problem.

Time and time again, Tau’s administration has proven ineffective in bringing an end to this crisis.

The only way to end City Power cuts is to cut ANC power in Johannesburg on 3 August.

The DA is ready to bring change to Johannesburg; the change we need to move forward again.

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DA Shocked That City Is Happy With Billing After Carte Blanche Exposé

It is astounding that the City of Johannesburg’s MMC for Finance, Mr Geoff Makhubo can claim to be happy with the city’s billing system, despite thousands of complaints about inaccurate meter reading and poor revenue collection.

Following an expose on Carte Blanche MMC Makhubo tweeted in response to the expose: “I am generally happy with over one million accounts billed monthly. Vast majority of which are correct and paid”.

On the show, a businessman received an account for   R278 000  in one month for a vacant derelict building. There were also claims of City officials seeking bribes to resolve account queries or to reconnect power supplies. The programme sparked further billing complaints on social media.

The DA cannot see how MMC Makhubo can be generally happy, when we are inundated with complaints about incorrect billing. Many of the so-called smart meters are faulty, uncalibrated and have not been SABS approved.

City Power does not reach its targets in terms of income collection or meter reading, and considering that City Power contributes 36% to the City’s budget, this is major cause for concern.

Furthermore, thousands of residents have been illegally disconnected in recent months.

Service debts which are more than three years old cannot be collected as they are prescribed within the meaning of the Prescription Act of 1969 and in compliance with Section 126B of the National Credit Act of 2005.

The billing chaos has a major impact on the city’s economy and productivity as residents have to take off from work to rectify incorrect bills.

Johannesburg needs change.

Residents need an administration that cares about their needs. The DA has a proven track record of efficient service delivery, which is confirmed by the fact that the best run municipalities in the country are DA-run.

 

Media enquiries:

Cllr Vasco da Gama

DA Johannesburg Caucus Leader

082 957 8581

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DA Scores Absentee Mayor Parks Tau 3/10

It is almost five years since Parks Tau has taken office as Mayor of Johannesburg, but under his leadership the so-called world class African city has merely limped along, battling to provide residents with levels of service befitting of such a title.

For years inaccurate billing has remained a constant challenge, negatively impacting the city’s finances and ultimately delaying the roll-out of much needed maintenance and upgrade programmes throughout the city.

This crisis is exacerbated by a massive R1,2 billion tender for unapproved smart electricity meters which was awarded to Edison Power, whose chairperson Vivian Reddy has close ties to President Jacob Zuma.

Over the years housing and sanitation backlogs have left thousands of residents living their lives in undignified squalor, while the city simply takes no action against large scale corruption and non-delivery.

Every day Johannesburg residents are forced to cope with massive water losses, unreliable electricity supply, poor road infrastructure, failed job creation initiatives and an ever-slowing rate of service delivery.

Johannesburg should be a world-class city. It has the capacity and the people to achieve this goal, and residents want to see it shine as a caring city for all who live in it.

Johannesburg should become a model of service delivery and excellence in South Africa, a title currently held by Cape Town.

The DA has developed this report card to rate the performance of Mayor Parks Tau and Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMCs) to analyse each individual’s grasp of their portfolio, their service delivery track record, and their willingness to be held accountable.

 

Executive Mayor – Cllr Parks Tau

While the city stumbles from crisis to crisis, Mayor Tau uses every publicity stunt in the book to paint a picture of a Johannesburg which is far removed from reality.

Mayor Tau is ultimately responsible for the state of the city, but yet palms it off to others and dodges accountability every step of the way.

The recent Pikitup strike is a case in point, where the mayor prioritised the Africities Summit over rampant strikers and rubbish piles all over the city. He had to turn to provincial Cooperative Governance MEC Jacob Mamabolo to act outside his mandate to intervene and restore order.

True to form, the mayor has yet to pronounce himself on the fight against corruption, water losses, electric supply instability, and housing issues.

The fact is that residents have long ago realised that mayor Tau is merely a poster boy for the city, while he allows the proper running of the city to be hampered by ineffective spending, corruption and poor management.

Mayor Tau has not met any of his key performance indicators, is not willing to be held accountable, and continues to hold Johannesburg back from being a world-class city.

Score: 3/10

 

MMC for Finance – Cllr Geoffrey Makhubo

Since taking over the finance portfolio in 2011 from Mayor Parks Tau, Geoffrey Makhubo has been more hands-on than his predecessor ever was.

He scores well for attending Section 79 committee meetings, for listening to opposition input, and at times, accepting important suggestions.

However, he defends the indefensible, including the R1,2 billion smart electricity meters contract with Edison, which has caused major headaches for thousands of consumers.

Makhubo likes to paint a rosy picture, pretending all is well.

Yet the recent arrests of revenue employees and officials doing business with council show that he has not been able to beat corruption and build an effective financial management environment.

Score: 4/10

 

MMC for Economic Development – Cllr Ruby Mathang

Under the stewardship of Cllr Mathang, the local economic development department has failed to meet key targets, and the city has failed to facilitate a “one-stop, red-carpet” facility to attract investors.

Of particular concern is that Cllr Mathang’s written responses to questions arising from quarterly reports provide the bare minimum information, leaving proper oversight completely hamstrung.

The lack of detail on business process outsourcing (BPO) and the Johannesburg Broadband Network (JBN) are prime examples.

There is a huge gap in information about what the JBN will do and how it will be funded, which creates potential for corruption and mismanagement.

Despite numerous DA requests, members of the board of the Johannesburg Market have yet to address the Economic Development Committee and answer questions.

Score: 4/10

 

MMC for Housing – Cllr Dan Bovu

Housing MMC Dan Bovu pays lip service to critical questions.

His responses regarding the controversial 96/97 housing list are totally unsatisfactory; claiming that 5% of applicants will be housed, yet subsequent reports have contradicted him, noting that not a single house had been allocated.

The department has failed to meet its own targets, and according to the latest quarterly report, met only four out of its 14 Key Performance Indicators.

Very little effort is made to tackle corruption and improve monitoring of service providers contracted to provide housing. Overall, project management leaves much to be desired.

As a result, contractors deliver poor quality housing or in some cases abandon building sites, leaving the city with virtually no value for money.

Score: 2/10

 

MMC for Public Safety – Cllr Sello Lemao

The buck for the failures of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) and EMS fire services stops with Cllr Lemao.

He has let down the people of Johannesburg, which has been rated one of the world’s most unsafe cities.

Complaints about corrupt JMPD officials are received daily, while traffic law enforcement appears to be limited to occasional after-hour road blocks and joint operations.

During the past year Public Safety Department has failed on many life-and-death service deliverables, such as the Joburg 10+ service, which remains ineffective in most wards.

There are major mechanical issues with EMS fire rescue fleets, with many fire stations ill-equipped and understaffed.

Firefighters are caught up in long-standing unresolved disputes with management, and morale is at an all-time low.

Score: 3/10

 

MMC for Transport – Cllr Christine Walters

Cllr Walters is one of the few well-performing MMCs and puts her colleagues to shame.

She lives up to her open-door policy, boasts a strong attendance record at meetings and is always willing to assist all councillors. Her written responses are timeous and thorough.

However, the story for the two transport entities in her portfolio, Metrobus and the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), is the complete opposite. Management of both entities are reluctant to attend compulsory meetings and respond to questions unless Cllr Walters intervenes.

The JRA remains tarnished with allegations of corruption, supply chain manipulation and collusion. While motorists and commuters have to deal with potholes, broken traffic lights, and poor infrastructure, very little change seems to be in the offering.

Public transport remains a matter of concern. Metrobus struggles with a massive overdraft and low passenger usage, while staff recently went on strike over incorrect PAYE deductions.

Score: 6/10

 

MMC for Environment, Infrastructure and Service Delivery – Cllr Matshidiso Mfikoe

Arguably the portfolio which requires the strongest of personalities, proven leadership skills, and a track record of problem solving and negotiation – all of which are lacking in Cllr Mfikoe.

With the entities at the forefront of service delivery such as Pikitup, City Power and Joburg Water all part of this portfolio, the track records of these entities during the past years tell their own stories about Cllr Mfikoe’s poor performance.

Overall, this portfolio has underachieved on every one of its key performance indicators, evidenced by the regressing quality of service delivery and ever-growing maintenance backlog.

Score: 2/10

 

MMC for Development Planning – Cllr Ros Greeff

The potential for maladministration in Cllr Greeff’s department, which has a budget of hundreds of millions of rand, is incredibly high due to the lack of proper checks and balances.

The department is plagued by staff shortages and a lack of critical skills, and urgently requires a sense of professionalism.

Very few Key Performance Indicators were achieved and as such, the department has had to return R100 million in unspent funds which were destined for Mayor Tau’s “Corridors of Freedom” projects.

The questionable number of claim applications creates an environment for potential corruption with building inspectors.

Score: 3/10

 

MMC for Health and Social Development – Cllr Nonceba Molwele

Social assistance provided by the department is haphazard to say the least, and fails to build any solid foundation to empower those who need it most.

The social net it purports to provide has too many gaps to be effective in meeting the needs of residents.

Funding remains a critical shortcoming, but this requires political will and a commitment to the plight of the needy to fulfil.

This is echoed by Cllr Molwele’s reluctance to attend Section 79 committee meetings and her lackadaisical approach to oversight.

Score: 4/10

 

MMC for Community Development – Cllr Chris Vondo

The recent horrific murders and rape in Rhodes Park, Kensington highlighted the need for improved security in the City’s parks.

Cllr Vondo areas of responsibility include Joburg City Parks, the zoo, cemeteries, and open spaces, and these facilities remain poorly cleaned and maintained. In short Rhodes Park has become a poster of the department’s inability to provide residents with safe and relaxing recreation areas.

Score: 4/10

 

MMC for Corporate and Shared Services – Cllr Mally Mokoena

The departments are plagued by operational problems due to senior managers who do not take their work seriously and are places where political patronage appears to reign supreme.

In one instance a list of bursary recipients included relatives of an ANC councillor – these were only removed by officials after the DA vehemently opposed their inclusion.

Since then, the DA has been eagerly awaiting a report reflecting that the names had indeed been removed, but to date none has been forthcoming.

In general, the Department has failed to achieve many of their annual targets, and its budget was underspent – clear indications of a lack of skilled and competent professional staff to oversee project management and implementation.

Score: 5/10

 

Johannesburg requires dramatic intervention if the city is ever going to have acceptable levels of service delivery. It is clear that Mayor Tau and his MMCs are simply coasting along in the hope that people remain satisfied with a poor quality of life.

When one compares Johannesburg’s levels of service delivery, job creation initiatives, public safety plans, revenue collection and financial management with the DA-led City of Cape Town, it is abundantly clear that Johannesburg has a long way to go before it can call itself a world-class city.

During the past five years residents have seen for themselves how the gulf between Johannesburg and Cape Town has widened, and are ready to Vote DA in next year’s local government elections.

People know that where the DA governs, life is better

 

Media enquiries:

Cllr Vasco da Gama

DA Johannesburg Caucus Leader

082 957 8581

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Open letter to the CEO of City Power, Mr Sicelo Xulu

Dear Mr. Xulu,

For the past three years we have been trying to get Johannesburg City Power to take responsibility for the servitude area between Edenvale (Aitken road) and Greenstone.

The site falls under City Power power-lines and extends from Sebenza to the N3. It also falls within the boundaries of both the Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni metro municipalities.

As a result, this land has become a popular dumping site and vagrants and informal traders have also settled on the land illegally. They often make fires, which poses a major risk to the surrounding community should these burn out of control.

While the DA has gotten the Ekurhuleni metro municipality to clean up the area and the EMPD/SAPS to remove the illegal squatters from time to time, this is clearly not a permanent solution.

Because many of the bollards originally installed (by City Power) have been damaged and/or removed, bakkies and trucks can easily gain access to this illegal dumping site.  Vagrants and informal traders illegally squatting on the land are also not easily visible because of the large piles of rubbish caused by dumping.

In July 2014, three woman were raped in this area

In July 2014, three woman were raped in this area.  It has been alleged that the rapist is one of the informal traders illegally squatting on the land.  As a result, a resident put up three Rape Hotspot signs on the site. These rapes were also covered by the media including The Times, The Citizen and Bedfordview / Edenvale News.

However, more than a year later, no action has been taken by City Power to maintain and secure the area despite the power-lines that are present on the site.

I am therefore writing to request that:

  1. City Power immediately removes all rubbish that has been dumped and to then level the land and beautify it.  Once the area has been leveled and cleaned, the Edenvale SAPD and EMPD have offered to step in to monitor and patrol the area in the future;
  2. City Power also needs to replace all broken bollards and provide fencing on the Van Riebeeck side – from the Greenstone Shopping Centre to the Eastleigh Ridge closure fence; and
  3. City Power needs to provide some security lighting on this land, particularly the spots adjacent to the residential areas.

I am happy to meet with the City Power employees who have been delegated to carry out these tasks and also to arrange a community meeting with residents from the adjacent Greenstone businesses and complexes as well as from the Ekurhuleni suburbs/industrial area who have been affected by this problem area.

I trust you view this matter in a serious light and I look forward to your response in this regard.

Yours Sincerely,

Heather Hart

Ward 18 Councillor

DA Spokesperson City Planning and Economic Development

082 902 1834

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