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Power woes dog eastern suburbs

22 Oct, 2021 - 00:10 0 Views

Suburban

POWER supply interruptions and prolonged blackouts are now a daily problem in some parts of Ballantyne Park, Chisipite, Highlands and Greendale.

Suburban Reporter 

Reports by residents of these areas show that they do not have electricity either due to load shedding, faults, vandalism of electricity infrastructure such as cables and transformers or maintenance work by Zesa Holdings engineers most of the time. 

The reports made between Sunday and Tuesday this week showed that residents from roads and areas such as Cleveland, Fallon and Barrie Road, Victory Road, Cambridge Drive and Court Road were affected in Greendale while more from Chisipite and Ballantyne Park also reported they had no electricity for varying periods of time. 

“Morning anyone else without power on Cleveland,” a resident inquired on Sunday. 

Residents from other roads said they did not have electricity since 1500 hours on Saturday October 16, 2021.

 “We have had no power since 3pm yesterday . . . Fallon and Barrie Road.”

Some were trying to make a report about the fault to the power utility Zesa Holdings but were failing to get through because the phone line was continually busy while residents also heard that a transformer in the area had caught fire on Saturday.

“No power on Cleveland Road since 3pm. Apparently transformer on Victory Road caught fire yesterday and it’s affecting all of us,” said a resident.

On Tuesday this week residents shared the Zesa Holdings load shedding schedule and the notice informing customers about Wednesday’s 12-hour power supply interruption to carry out maintenance works but neighbours said they did no longer pay attention to them because they always don’t have electricity. 

“We don’t ever seem to have power so it won’t bother us.”

Complaints over loss of perishable foodstuffs were also raised as some areas were going for between 24 hours, three or more days without electricity.

The residents’ forum then heard on Tuesday that residents on Cardinals Road in Chisipite had just had their cable stolen for the third time this year with some wondering if Zesa Holdings workers were not involved in the theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure.

“Good morning all. For the third (time) this year and not more than a couple of months, the cable along our road has been stolen. How is this possible? Clearly these are people from Zesa digging up the country’s infrastructure. Where are we going as a nation? When will it end? When everything is gone and the place is undeliverable? Perplexed,” read the complaint from the Chisipite resident.

Highlands residents said they used to have similar problems of persistent cable thefts but had with the help of Highlands Police Station engaged security to patrol the area.

“We had a similar problem with cable theft on Portal Road and then with the help of ZRP Highlands engaged security patrols, which has vastly improved the situation.”

Reports of vandalism also came from Ballantyne Park residents who shared pictures of the vandalised cables in their area.

“Vandalism at the corner of Brentford Road and Wellburn Drive. We have no electricity in Ballantyne Park since Sunday evening,” read the report by a Ballantyne Park resident.

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