Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • GM Direct publishing break
  • “Makhanda is in shambles,” says Ward Four resident
  • Ward Two residents buy own floodlights to combat cable theft
  • A town without a playground: where do the children play?
  • Women, Politics, Power, Patriachy: A feminist lens
  • Makhanda’s Links Royal House Gaokx’aob (Chief) has died
  • What’s On – 30 March – 6 April
  • Unapologetically queer and Black consciousness approach to live performance
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Grocott's Mail
You are at:Home»Uncategorized»Muni equipment purchase proves problematic
Uncategorized

Muni equipment purchase proves problematic

Busisiwe HohoBy Busisiwe HohoMay 17, 2010No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

The 11Kv Tamco Vacuum circuit breakers, purchased amid some concerns, drove a heated discussion at the Land, Housing, Infrastructural Development and Disaster Management (LHID) Portfolio Committee meeting last week.

The 11Kv Tamco Vacuum circuit breakers, purchased amid some concerns, drove a heated discussion at the Land, Housing, Infrastructural Development and Disaster Management (LHID) Portfolio Committee meeting last week.

According to Makana Municipality’s spokesperson, Thandy Matebese, the Tamco Vacuum circuit breakers, which are switches used to make or break high voltages, were purchased at a cost of R250 000.

Before the purchase was made, four council officials were selected to go, at the manufacturer’s expense to Johannesburg in March this year to witness the factory testing of the equipment.

The Technical and  Infrastructural directorate report stated that the defects which were noted on the first day of the visit were partly repaired and new defects were picked up on the second day.

“The purchase and installation of this equipment took place during the project phase, of which all was done by the service provider,” said Matebese.

The purchase was processed in the midst of some identified concerns such as there being no local agent for the Tamco Breakers, no spare parts are available in South Africa and if training of staff is required  then it has to be done in Malaysia.

Matebese said that the concerns raised by council officials after the factory test visit are being addressed before the project is handed over to the municipality.

During the committee meeting DA Councillor Michael Whisson expressed his confusion as to why this equipment was purchased despite the outlined concerns.

“It’s a wonderful piece of equipment, but it does not work. We should cut our ties with this,” said Whisson. Technical Services Deputy Director Johnson Steto said that the council officials informed him of the failed demonstration.

He explained that he tried to stop the process of the  equipment being purchased but without any success. LHID portfolio committee chairperson and ANC councillor, Zamuxolo Peter, said that a full report explaining what occurred should be written and that the manufacturers should reimburse them in full.
 

He added that something went wrong somewhere and if the fault lies with the technical services team then someone should be held accountable.

“Make sure it does not  hamper service delivery. “We have the Fifa World Cup and the Festival just around the corner. If it’s going  to affect electricity in Makana, it has to be addressed as soon as possible,” said Peter. 

Previous ArticleDSG rowing results
Next Article Repeat shoplifting offender put behind bars
Busisiwe Hoho

Comments are closed.

Tweets by Grocotts
Newsletter



Listen

The Rhodes University Community Engagement Division has launched Engagement in Action, a new podcast which aims to bring to life some of the many ways in which the University interacts with communities around it. Check it out below.

Humans of Makhanda

Humans of Makhanda

Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

© 2023 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.