It is with frustration that I find myself writing this email on my battery-powered device. The power has just gone out yet again, and I have just called the Joburg Connect line to report it. The time I started the call is 3.41pm on Sat 18 January 2014. I am sure that these feelings of frustration are being felt by all the other residents in our area.
This is our 6th power cut in 2014 – that we know of. It is the height of summer when demand is low. What will happen in winter when demand is high? Apparently the cables were stolen earlier in the year which caused power outages of more than 24 hours, causing foodstuffs in the refrigerator to go off. All because of City Power and cable theft.
Why can’t they use security to patrol the substation or install theft-proof cables and encase them in cement? These thieves need to be punished by the electric chair.
So that gets me thinking.
The current government that was voted in to power in the last elections has provided us with:
1. Power outages
2. Roads riddled with potholes
3. E-tolls in Gauteng
4. Curbs and sidewalks that are overgrown with grass, weeds and not maintained.
5. Traffic lights that do not work – for months on end sometimes.
6. Road markings that are simply not there.
7. Service delivery protests
8. Allowing strikes to occur resulting in economic downturns in all directions.
It is now 4.11pm and I am still holding on for the Joburg Connect call centre – 30 minutes and no answer. After 35 minutes – I assumed that my call would never get answered, so I hung up and called again. This time was I put on hold again and waited another 45 minutes. Still no answer.
Is this the sort of service and regime we want to vote in in 2014? I thought the mayor of Johannesburg was going to improve this as he mentioned on Talk Radio 702 last year?? Should I start converting my house into a camping site with gas and start living like we did in the dark ages? Or should I start saving up to move to Australia?
