Gatvol businesses in Joburg threaten rates revolt

Michael Wellbeloved | Director with Vermaak Marshall Wellbeloved Inc. 

Some businesses in Johannesburg are threatening to boycott electricity rates over deteriorating City Power infrastructure – which has resulted in an increasing number of unplanned power outages that have lasted days in some instances.

Speaking to eNCA, several businesses in Kya Sands in Randburg have cried foul over blown substations, cable theft, and other infrastructure challenges City Power faces.

The businesses noted these issues often result in days without power, and many plan on taking the power utility to court over the outages, while others are threatening to withhold their rate payments until action is taken.

Director of Vermaak Marshell Wellbeloved Inc., Micheal Wellbeloved, said through City Power, the municipality has failed in three critical aspects of its constitutional mandate:

• Adequate municipal planning;
• The regulation of building controls; and
• The reticulation of electricity.