ActionSA calls for the removal of the EFF MMC for Water, Sanitation & Energy in Ekurhuleni, Cllr Leshaka Manamela, after major service delivery failures from his department have left thousands of residents across the City without power.
ActionSA’s caucus in Ekurhuleni has continuously fought for residents to have power restored in a timeous manner after unplanned outages. On 19 June 2023, we visited residents in Buhle Park, Ward 40 who had been without power since April after several transformers blew. Only after our intervention and appeals to the Executive Mayor did the department begin restoring transformers.
On 3 August 2023, ActionSA organised a meeting between the HoD of City Planning & Service Delivery and Germiston business owners, who explained how difficult it was to work with the energy department which failed to repair simple fuses or communicate restoration times.
Subsequent to these meetings, ActionSA also intervened in Kwa-Thema on 21 August 2023, meeting with the CCC Manager during a caucus oversight visit to the area. Residents of Kwa-Thema have gone through the winter without electricity and have been let down by the city.
The simple fact is MMC Manamela is incompetent, out of touch with the lived reality of residents, and has no expertise to solve the energy challenges directly within his purview. Businesses and the local economy are in precipitous decline as a direct result of the City’s energy crisis.
ActionSA calls for Mayor Ngodwana to remove this MMC and replace him with someone who is prepared to meet with residents, provide effective political leadership of the department and resolve energy challenges speedily.
As a constructive opposition party in Ekurhuleni, we have demonstrated that political oversight during this energy crisis is critical to reforming an underfinanced and poorly-led department in the City.
By Siyanda Makhubo ActionSA City of Ekurhuleni Caucus Leade
