Grounding of City Power Fleet @KASIBCNEWS 

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg is deeply concerned by the worsening service delivery crisis caused by the grounding of City Power's Test Branch Fleet. With over 500 outages per depot still unresolved, the grounding of essential vehicles has critically hampered the ability to restore power to residents across the City.

The grounding of the almost 200 vehicles, particularly the Test Branch vehicles, has left depots unable to attend to faults swiftly. This has resulted in outages escalating and delays in resolving them stretching to several days, leaving residents in distress.

Despite assurances from Mayor Dada Morero following a News24 report on 21 December 2024 that only Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) vehicles were grounded and that resolutions would be sought, it has now emerged that more vehicles across various entities are being grounded.

The DA calls on Mayor Morero to urgently intervene in this crisis by directing the relevant Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMCs) for Executive Business and Environment & Infrastructure Services (EIS) to resolve this matter immediately.

We seek clarity from the City on the following:

1. What is the status of the Afrirent debt and the payment plan to address it?
2. What actions is the City taking to ensure uninterrupted service delivery in City Power during this period?
3. What measures will be implemented to prevent such a crisis from recurring in the future?

We will continue to hold the Executive accountable and ensure that service delivery to residents remains at the forefront of the City’s priorities.

NELSON MANDELA HOUSE A CRIME SCENE @KASIBCNEWS 

 

Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) Tactical Response Unit for their swift and decisive action in apprehending five suspects involved in the possession of a hijacked vehicle and an unlicensed firearm in Houghton, Johannesburg. Thanks to vital information from a vehicle tracking company, the JMPD quickly located a hijacked Toyota Corolla and proceeded to a residence in Houghton, where they recovered the vehicle and arrested the suspects. One unlicensed firearm was also seized. 

The female suspect renting the property is believed to be connected to the male suspects, one of whom is reportedly a grandchild of President Nelson Mandela. 

The suspects are in custody at Norwood SAPS, and the victim of the hijacking is unharmed. 

This operation highlights the JMPD’s commitment to keeping our communities safe and sending a clear message that crime will not be tolerated in Johannesburg. 

The Public Safety Department fully supports the JMPD’s continued efforts to protect residents and ensure the security of the city.