City Power says legal and safety checks must come before Alexandra flats can be electrified

City Power says it cannot immediately activate electricity supply to the Mahauzana Flats in Alexandra until legal, safety and compliance requirements are met, after receiving a memorandum from residents this week.

Memorandum lodged, utility responds

The utility confirmed it received a Memorandum of Demands from residents of Riverpark Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, K206, Extension 9 and the Mahauzana Flats following a peaceful march to the Alexandra Service Delivery Centre. City Power said it has taken note of calls in the memorandum for immediate electrification of the Mahauzana Flats, upgrades to electricity infrastructure, improved responsiveness and urgent intervention to address unsafe electrical installations.

Illegal connections and network risk

City Power said the Mahauzana Flats are currently unlawfully occupied and that occupants are not registered customers. The utility described the area as being marked by “widespread illegal electricity and water connections,” which have strained the local network and created safety hazards.

The utility warned that “these illegal connections pose a significant danger not only to the occupants of the building but also to surrounding communities and to the integrity of the electricity network.” City Power added that unlawful connections overload the network, increase the risk of electrical faults and create hazardous conditions that place lives at risk, and that neighbours experienced repeated interruptions during periods of high demand when the local network became overloaded.

Removal of illegal connections and who must act

City Power said it will remove illegal electricity connections at the Mahauzana Flats in the coming days as part of efforts to eliminate unsafe installations and ensure compliance with law and recognised electricity safety standards. The utility said the process to regularise the development cannot be undertaken by City Power alone and requires cooperation from the Department of Housing and law enforcement agencies.

City Power also said a significant number of Riverpark residents are not purchasing electricity through legitimate channels, and that for stable, sustainable supply “approximately 80% of residents need to purchase electricity legitimately through the official vending system.”

Electrification project and conditions for connection

Despite the challenges, City Power said the Mahauzana Electrification Project remains underway. The project includes installation of a mini-substation, a pillar box and a sub-metering system intended to provide a safer and more reliable supply. City Power’s general manager for public relations and communication, Isaac Mangena, said the utility has decided to supply bulk electricity to the development and that the Department of Human Settlements is to be billed for the electricity consumed.

However, City Power said that before any supply can be connected, residents must complete internal reticulation within the buildings, including the installation of distribution boards and associated wiring. The utility added that certificates of compliance and other safety requirements must be met before connections can be activated, and that a permanent electricity supply will only be possible once all legal, safety and compliance processes have been completed.

What City Power wants next

• Removal of illegal connections and unsafe installations
• Cooperation from the Department of Housing and law enforcement to regularise occupation and planning issues
• Completion of internal reticulation and certificates of compliance within the flats
• Move toward legitimate electricity purchasing by residents to support a stable supply

City Power urged residents to work with the Department of Housing to address planning and structural matters so that the compliance, safety and legal conditions needed for permanent electrification can be met.