​The City of Joburg Executive mayor, Cllr Mpho Moerane, signed a new power purchase agreement with the privately owned Kelvin Power Station on Friday, 08 October 2021.

He was accompanied by Gauteng Premier David Makhura, Members of Mayoral Committee Cllr Matshidiso Mfikoe for Finance, Cllr Tania Old-John for Infrastructure, Environment and Services, Cllr Margaret Arnold for Community Development, Cllr Nonceba Molwele, Johannesburg Speaker of Council and other senior officials in the City.

This was after the commitment Mayor Moerane made on his election day that the City of Joburg will take over the supply of electricity from Eskom to supply Soweto, Diepsloot, Ivory Park, Orange Farm, Finetown and Sandton.

The new agreement will see an additional power supply of 100megawatts from 80MW to Johannesburg households and businesses, bringing the total to 180MW.

“The agreement we are signing answers the questions that have been in the minds of many since we started speaking about plans to take over the supply of electricity by Eskom in Johannesburg communities. The partnership will guarantee a reliable power supply in the City,” said Mayor Moerane.

“This event is affirmation of the City of Joburg’s promise in ensuring improved service delivery to the residents. The City’s residents have been experiencing challenges in terms of the provision of reliable electricity supply.”

“We have acknowledged this problem hence we are finding solutions,” said Cllr Old-John.

Premier Makhura said Joburg needed a reliable security supply in which businesses can thrive. He later addressed the community of Nomzamo Informal Settlement, in Soweto, regarding the transfer of Eskom Infrastructure to City Power and Rockville community regarding electricity issues, burnt out transformers and discussing new transformers to be installed soon.

Mayor Moerane told the Rockville meeting that “City Power will install two mini substations in Soweto as an intervention against issues of power outages”.

Cllr Arnolds strongly condemned vandalism of City Power infrastructure by some members of the community while asking everyone to look after the infrastructure.

The City entered into the new agreement to ensure that there is a reliable electricity supply to the people of north-eastern suburbs of Johannesburg. These are Greenstone, Kew, Lombardy, Alexandra, Melrose, Rosebank and Houghton.

Mayor Moerane said that the City remained committed to assisting Eskom in resolving electricity supply challenges in all affected communities across the City. “Today’s agreement is a clear demonstration of the commitment by the City’s current leadership to better serve the people of Johannesburg,” said Mayor Moerane.

08/10/2021