Power outages, ageing infrastructure, cable theft and a controversial new monthly electricity charge took centre stage as Centlec’s reappointed chief executive officer, Dr Malefane Sekoboto, outlined the utility’s plans to stabilise electricity supply across Mangaung.
Sekoboto addressed several issues affecting residents across Mangaung, including the recently proposed R50 monthly basic charge that sparked public concern.
Following the backlash, the Mangaung council convened a special meeting and temporarily deferred the implementation of the charge.
“If you look at other metros, they are charging way more. Initially based on our cost of supply we were supposed to charge residents R597, but we brought it down to R50 because we understand residents can’t afford that. The R50 will be for maintenance and infrastructure upgrade,” he explained.
He added the charge will apply only to non-indigent residents and not indigent households.
Sekoboto highlighted cable theft as one of the utility’s biggest challenges, saying some scrapyards continue to fuel the problem by providing a market for stolen infrastructure.
“There are a number of scrapyards that’s been identified, police and other stakeholders are aware. So, we just have to let law enforcement do their jobs. These criminals are also smart, because they transport the stolen cables to Welkom, Vaal and Virginia and sell them there, so we can confirm it’s a syndicate,” he said.
Turning to Centlec’s ageing infrastructure, Sekoboto acknowledged the utility is facing a significant maintenance backlog, which continues to affect service delivery.
“The reality is Centlec is operating on a maintenance backlog of R664m. We need to have alternative sources of income. During this financial year, we received R153m from treasury to address the ageing infrastructure in Mangaung,” he said.
To diversify its revenue streams, Sekoboto announced Centlec is preparing to launch several new initiatives aimed at generating additional income while supporting economic development. “We are launching a data development centre and an advanced telecommunications network that will enable partnership with the private sector. The data centre will comprise of a 4-petabyte storage that allows companies to secure their date with us,” he concluded.
He added the initiative is also expected to create employment opportunities and help address the high unemployment rate in Mangaung.
In addition, Centlec has introduced several mobile applications that enable residents to easily report cable theft, vandalism and power outages, improving communication between the utility and the communities it serves.
Clement Matroos
