After hours call danger
The Msunduzi administration is mulling over the costly idea of escorting electricity department employees when they respond to after-hours calls.
The recent attacks and muggings of electricity staff members has prompted the Msunduzi executive committee to table a report to council seeking an endorsement that in the absence of security personnel, electricity work be suspended. The report, which was tabled on Tuesday, had its recommendations amended following some deliberations on the impact they will have if left in its current form.
The initial recommendations were that the city suspend afterhours work activities and only attend to customer complaints during the day as a standard process moving forward and that the communications department issue a statement on the decision regarding the suspension of after-hours activities.
These recommendations did not sit well with councillors, and the deputy mayor Mxolisi Mkhize immediately proposed an amendment to the effect that security guards should accompany electricity employees, and that no statement should be issued.
City manager Lulamile Mapholoba appealed to councillors to appreciate the delicate state of the matter. He said it would not be right to suspend after-hours services.
"We have to provide security for our employees because those behind this thuggery are people who want to maintain the status quo of lawlessness. Some of the security are private protectors so definitely we need to provide security for our staff. There's a lot of unscrupulous elements out there in the community, and it's those who know they are not buying electricity and they have been enjoying this service for years.
"The issue here is the culture of people not wanting to pay for municipal services. We will be carrying out meetings and consulting with people and we will do that to conscientise people about the importance of paying for municipal services. We can't say they (electricity employees) must not go out. That will be irresponsible even though we understand their plight [when they are out on calls]. We are looking at the legalities of providing our own security for electricity," said Mapholoba.
In recent months the city has faced a spate of attacks and robberies on its electricity employees who attend to after-hours calls in various parts of the city. These employees have been robbed at gunpoint, losing their belongings.
Between January and August 2022, at least four incidents of robbery of employees at gunpoint were reported. This prompted acting general manager for electricity, Thabani Madlala, to say that due to safety concerns following these attacks, delays would be experienced and this would affect electricity restoration times.
The EFFS Bongani Mbona said he did not think it was a good idea to stop attending to electricity callouts after-hours.
"This business unit is very crucial so we can't allow people to be under unnecessary strain because of thieves and hooligans. We have security at the municipality's disposal, so this resource must be utilised to protect electricity staff members. Stopping attending to callouts will affect the provision of electricity supply to consumers and impact negatively on the economic and revenue activities around the city," said Mbona.