The DA in Ephraim Mogale Local Municipality is concerned over the continued lack of response by the Municipal Manager and Executive Mayor to formal oversight questions on the municipality’s critical electrical skills capacity.
On 8 April 2026, the DA submitted comprehensive written questions to Council seeking clarity on the municipality’s preparedness for the retirement of senior electrical personnel responsible for operating and maintaining the municipality’s 11kV high-voltage electricity network.
The questions addressed critical issues including:
- The municipality’s succession planning and skills audit
- The remaining internal capacity to maintain 11kV infrastructure
- Skills transfer and mentorship programmes
- Operational and financial risks
- Contingency plans for electricity failures
- Compliance with safety regulations
- Accountability for workforce planning
A formal follow-up was submitted on 8 June 2026, requesting answers within a stipulated period of time. To date, the municipality has still failed to provide the requested information.
Electricity infrastructure is one of the municipality’s most critical services. The retirement of experienced technical personnel is not an unforeseen event but a foreseeable management challenge that requires proper planning, skills transfer and succession management.
The municipality’s continued silence suggests that adequate succession planning is not in place and that there is insufficient internal 11kV operational capacity.
This exacerbates the risk of longer power outages due to a shortage of skilled personnel and is a foreseeable crisis that can be prevented.
Council and residents deserve answers; reliable electricity services depend not only on infrastructure but also on the availability of competent technical staff to operate, maintain and repair that infrastructure safely and efficiently.
The DA now requires a response within seven days, failing which we will pursue available oversight mechanisms, to hold the municipality accountable to ensure a stable grid.