Open letter to City Power

Dear ward councillors Carl Mann, Gert Niemand and Solomon Bhengu (City Power Hamburg Depot Manager)

I’m writing this letter as we have exhausted all other avenues.

We are still sitting with the same electrical problem at our office at the corner of Generaal Pienaar and Ham streets, Witpoortjie.

Here is the problem once again. One phase of our three-phase electricity supply is not working. Apparently a circuit needs to be replaced across the road from us. Are you aware of the problem? Will it be fixed one year? If the problem is not the municipality’s responsibility, fair enough, but how will we know if no one comes out to check where the problem lies?

Mr Bhengu, what happened? Why promise us you will send someone out if you can’t keep that promise? Twice? Councillors, is there anything you can do? Pressure you can apply?

And before anyone else asks me for a reference number, take note: City Power is unreachable. That’s right gents, their facilities are dysfunctional. I have personally phoned to get a reference number. After an hour and 15 minutes of listening to mind-numbing music, I gave up. How many employees do you have in this call centre? Either way, please don’t respond with excuses as it is not my problem if the call centre is understaffed and poorly managed. Secondly, we have logged this complaint on the online platform where we were also promised reference numbers. A week later … Nothing.

Please get back to me, even if we have to fetch your staff, bring them here, buy them lunch and take them back to their office after the work is done. If that is how we have to operate to get service, then that will have to do.

All I am asking you is to respond. If you cannot send someone out, don’t promise that you’ll do so.

I know you might not be responsible for every problem mention in this mail, so feel free to send it on to higher authorities within City Power.

This is our last resort and final request for assistance. If you are unable to help, please let me know so that I can take the matter further.

Please regard this as extremely urgent.

We have now experienced first-hand what the public has to go through to get service in the Roodepoort area.

Tihan van der Walt
Editor