Vosloorus residents in Extension 1 accuse Eskom and their local ward councillor of R500 extortion in order to fix dead mini-substation. Picture: Supplied
Eskom has slapped 114 households in Vosloorus Extension 1 with fines after a mini substation in the area broke as a result of overloading due to illegal connections.
The fines are R6,052 each and the residents have been told by Eskom that each household can pay R500 monthly for six months, to make up 60% of their fine. The money collected from the fines would then be used to source a new mini substation.
However, angry residents, who have not had electricity since July accused Eskom and the ward councillor Thabani Goje of dodgy dealings, saying they believed the fines were a bribe. Eskom and Goje have denied this.
Eskom has accused the residents of tampering with their electricity infrastructure by onboarding illegal connections, non payment of electricity and buying electricity tokens from unauthorized vendors.
The angry residents said they started experiencing issues with the mini-substation in 2021 when it began leaking oil and they reported it to the power utility.
Community leader James Seoketsa, 55, said Eskom acknowledged the problem and committed to fixing it, but failed to do so.
“They assured us they would come to fix it, but they never did. As a result, the oil leakage worsened and smoke began to emanate from the mini-substation,” he said.
Eskom said they had numerous engagements with the community about the issue and they had engaged extensively with the local councillor and residents concerning the issue.
“It was explained to them that the feeder would be switched off due to the high losses. It was explained to them that the meter would be audited as per the transformer replacement process.”
Seoketsa said that although they had electricity during this period, they were concerned about its condition.
He said in 2022, Eskom officials called them to a meeting and allegedly informed them that they would need to pay R250 to repair the mini-substation.
"While it does not leak much oil during summer, the issue worsens in the winter. Eskom has not maintained it in recent years.
“They are very corrupt because, in other wards, this issue is not handled this way, yet we are being asked to pay,” he claimed.
Eskom said it had issued 114 fines to the households and it had offered them payment terms under their Deferred Payment Agreement (DPA) policy which would allow each household to pay at least R500 monthly for six months.
“The community agreed to the payment arrangement of R500, but they did not reach the 60% threshold required to begin replacing the infrastructure,” Eskom said, adding it would not fix the substation unless at least 60% of the fines were paid.
Another resident, Seruwe Motlaisane, said they were struggling without electricity and they had to rely on friends and family in neighbouring townships.
“What they are doing to us is very wrong. We are struggling, and our councillor is not taking any action but is instead demanding money from us.
“Now, we have to rely on others for electricity so that school children can bath and attend school,” said the mother.
Eskom said their officials were met with resistance when they descended to Vosloorus Ext. 1 to replace the meters in line with Eskom’s national replacement process. The power utility said residents resisted both the replacement and commissioning of the new meters, thereby halting the contractors' work.
Councillor Goje denied the claims that he and the power utility officials were asking for R500 bribes to repair the mini-substation.
He said the residents were aware they had been fined and that the payment was required to be made directly to Eskom.
IOL