DELMAS – The DA in Victor Khanye says it has lodged a complaint with Eskom’s customer relations division over continuous power outages in Eloff, Sundra, Rietkol, and surrounding areas. The party, in a statement, said the municipality has been plagued for years by issues of aging infrastructure, lack of resources, and a shortage of personnel. DA caucus leader in Victor Khanye, Diane Bath, said that a breaker tripped during a storm on 8 February, affecting parts of Modder East Orchards. “Residents followed the procedure and reported the fault as usual via the Eskom Alfred link, call center, and the Whatsapp line to Ekangala Customer Relations Managers,” she said. “However, this exercise proved futile after it emerged that there were only two technicians working. Eskom is holding ratepayers at ransom; a number of residents in Victor Khanye rely on Eskom power to pump water for their crops and livestock.” Bath added that the power utility’s Customer Relations Manager has since acknowledged their complaint and informed them they have requested their technical team to provide details. “Eskom’s ignorance towards this matter poses a serious threat to the town’s economic growth. Ratepayers and businesses cannot be subject to additional power cuts.” Bath also stated that they have asked Eskom to attend to, among other things, ensure there are enough technicians to assist all communities, there is infrastructure maintenance plan, and provide a better line of communication for affected residents. “We expect Eskom and the municipality to review all their infrastructure and implement changes in order of priority. They need to make sure that they develop and maintain infrastructure to the satisfaction of the residents,” she said. “There is a need for the sustainable provision of electricity in our communities. The DA will continue holding the municipality and Eskom accountable and making sure that they are responsive to the needs of the community.”
