Jhb City Power Contractors

[kosmonooit]

Hello all,

Can anyone throw more light on how Jhb City Power selects and manages their contractors? It seems they have farmed out all the work to contractors, who, according to my experience, are not suitably qualified or experienced, or properly managed. I've seen this over the years from the guys then send out to attend to the never-ending mains supply problems I have. Solutions tend to be quick fix and level of workmanship is generally shocking.

In particular, their solution to getting street lights working again (after not being able to come up with secure circuit breaker covers on the poles) is to now string up ABC cables between the lights at the top of the posts, on the bends. A hole is cut with an angle grinder to access the cable. This could impair the structural integrity of the pole but that is not the issue I want to write about here: they are wiring the normal circuit breakers to the cable in the open air without any protection from water / moisture / dust ingress, which besides failing a common sense test, is contravention of the SANS 10142. This is not in isolation, I've seen it all over the place where they are doing this

Also a pik of some choice welding of sub station doors by said contractors, or perhaps even by City Power themselves.




What can be done?

[AndyD]

I suppose you could try emailing them or complain to your ward councillor but not sure how far it will get you unless there's grounds for it being a safety hazard to people in the vicinity. As you say the standard of workmanship is absolutely appauling.

[kosmonooit]

Guys we still have a problem, a major problem. with Joburg City Power

Our local circuits are being overloaded by unbalanced phases and illegal connections

Fuses were stolen because CP can't secure the substation

Striped GP wire used as fuses

Wire melts

Underground street db feeder cable melts because of overloading once the ante was upped in terms of number of stripped GP cables used as fuses

Eventually fuses are replaced

Fuses blow

Wire used instead of fuses

Wire melts

And so it goes on


Several calls have been made to area manager to plea for solving the crux of the problem instead of addressing the symptoms


Every time a different 'contractor' pitches to do the work, no continuity, no follow up. Workmanship generally very poor. Most don't have proper tools.

What the hell is happening there at Joburg City Power? This is the lowest of the low

Anyone know how this can be escalated in terms of regulatory authorities? Or what else can we do?

[kosmonooit]

Sorry these pics are all 90 deg out, I cant figure out how to rotate them here


GP Wire used as fuse


GP wire used on top of blown fuse



Fuse board with some original fuses


The local street db, cover is loose


Fuse board that burnt down because of GP wire used as fuses by CP personnel in flashy new truck

[kosmonooit]

And I log calls with low voltage and they are continually closed out with no action.

I am talking 210V down to 190V, before she blows again.

Now low voltage means voltage loss on the cables, meaning we have a problem with over current. Tell me that is not the most basic thing any Electrician with 1/2 a brain cell learns?



ie this afternoon

16:17 CPWEB2327822
Low voltage, 210V and dropping




17:10 City Power updated your call with ref CPWEB2327822 to 'Cancelled' with reason: Power is back on

[kosmonooit]

CP staffer stripping GP wire for fuses



Flashy new CP truck in front of neglected sub station



Contractor replacing burnt out underground cable

[kosmonooit]

Its been alleged by people here that these 'contractors' have connections to CP employees, and get paid per callout, regardless of what they do or how they resolve a problem, so the possibility of kick backs exist. There is NO QC or follow up, and obviously little or no vetting of skills or knowledge.

Today a man & his assistants in a decrepit bakkie comes to my house around 11h00 after tending to my call logged at 05h00 CPWEB2327615 due to power out during the night. Firstly his bakkie stinks of dagga smoke (not the first time I have experienced this with CP Contractor). Asking him what he has done, he said he replaced the Red Phase fuse. I ask him what rating, he says 300A. I ask him about checking / tracing the overloading circuits he says its another job that CP must give him.

Power blows out again just as he drives away. I check the substation (doors are open) and all he did was wire the fuse (2nd pic above). I try call the Area Manager, he refers me to the supervisor as always. No one can find the supervisor, after holding for 30 mins I give up for then.

A typical encounter with our 'world class' city.

[kosmonooit]

And yea, the power pooped at 19h30 again tonight after being restored at 15h30 with Voltage slipping and sliding all the way down to 190V before hitting 450mV, not much I can do with that!

I suspect that underground cable has gone foobar again, since all the phases seem to be out.

[AndyD]

I'm speechless. I don't know what to suggest.

[kosmonooit]

And we are still powerless this morning, in so many ways.

It has to be said that this is a clear instance of yet another failed social engineering experiment. It is the result of the ruling parties policies to provide work to a certain race, regardless of the consequences.

Only here, surely non-compliance with SANS regulations can be grounds for legal action?

Oh, and I would love to be able to contact our local Councilor to assist with the matter, except that she is uncontactable. Cell number listed with City of Jhb is NU (078 311 2267) and emails to her joburg.org.za bounce because her account is full (martham@joburg.org.za)

ANC Councilor Cde Martha Mazibuko



Not seen or heard from since 'election'

[kosmonooit]

And it gets better!

Fuse that was 'hardwired' by contractor on Monday burnt the fuse board down on Monday night.




The hard wired fuse that cause the burn was the middle on the LHS








Contractor was dispatched with large generator yesterday. Power was restored but I am still getting relatively low voltage, meaning overloading of conductors still exists (?)

I'll refrain from rants of diabolical dysfunctionality and gross incompentence for now.

ps tell me how to rotate pics and I will edit the posts, it seems to always post landscape.

[kosmonooit]

Now the insane thing is the same frigging thing happened in the same sub station two weeks ago, only it was CP personnel who hardwired the fuses that time, that I witnessed and who ignore my cautionary advice, in fact ignored me, and would not answer my queries.

Issue was reported to Area Manager Mr Mnisi who has yet to reply to me.

[skatingsparks]

City Power......

I have bet with clients and my staff..... How many City Power people will have to come through before someone knows how to resolve the problem (unless its just switching on the breaker).

Usually we play for a case of beer or a six pack.

Recently the 8th person to come out to resolve the problem of there being no incoming earth from city power side (despite the property being backed onto the local mini sub and you could visibly see the earth wire).

We even have a game where if there is a "cash converters" sticker on the multimeter they bring, i get a bonus beer prize.

It amazes me how many properties have no incoming earth. In Jo'burg I'd say around 25% - 30% of the places we go to don't have a sufficient (or at all) incoming earth from municipality.

The last 3 month, properties we have worked on/in

Pent house flat in Killarny, whole block of flats - no incoming earth from municpality.

Commercial building bought for R50 million+ (with COC) - no incoming earth.

Large commercial property in a arty part of town - earth was provided by earth conductor wrapped around the overhead line pole, stuck down with some carpet tape - Earth fault current - 40 amps - on a 63 amp 3 phase supply.... supplying 4 shops and some staff quarters out back. 63amp breaker cooked, neutral loose and melted on municipality side. - with COC.