Political rivalry took a back seat on Friday when Democratic Alliance (DA) Ward 98 councillor candidate Mickey van der Westhuizen and independent candidate Thabo Moroane found themselves agreeing on one thing – service delivery, which was the real winner.

The development followed a long-awaited oversight visit by Tshwane MMC for Human Settlements, Spatial Development and Municipal Governance Aaron Maluleka, accompanied by City of Tshwane officials, to Klerksoord Platinum Park and the surrounding industrial area.

The visit focused primarily on the area’s persistent electricity problems, which have frustrated residents and businesses for months.

ELECTRICITY BREAKTHROUGH BRINGS RELIEF TO KLERKSOORD AND PLATINUM PARK

During the visit, municipal officials explained that a new underground 11kV cable is planned to be connected from the Wolmer Substation to the Klerksoord mini-substation.

The planned infrastructure is expected to reduce the load currently carried by the existing electricity network, which has reportedly experienced repeated tripping and outages.

The proposed solution will also include enhanced security measures aimed at detecting and preventing vandalism and cable theft – two issues that have contributed to infrastructure failures in many communities.

For residents and businesses in Klerksoord and Platinum Park, the development represents a potentially significant improvement to the reliability of electricity supply.

Van der Westhuizen welcomed the development and described it as a “major victory for Klerksoord and Platinum Park.”

He credited residents for mobilising around the electricity crisis through a petition, community action, a picket and the formal submission of a memorandum to the City.

According to Van der Westhuizen, the memorandum specifically called for the repair and replacement of damaged feeder cables, rehabilitation and security of the Klerksoord Substation, restoration of ring-feed and back feed capability, removal of illegal electricity connections and a permanent electricity solution for the area.

He argued that the timing of the City’s response, coming shortly after the community’s mobilisation, demonstrated the importance of sustained public pressure.

“The petition gave residents a united voice. The picket showed that the community had had enough. The memorandum put our demands formally before the City,” Van der Westhuizen said in his response to the development.

He maintained that whatever explanation the City gives regarding when the work was originally planned, the important issue is that action is now being taken.

For Moroane, the oversight visit was also a welcome development, particularly because it followed demands contained in the memorandum on service delivery.

Moroane said the proposed 11kV connection could bring “huge and welcome relief” to both the residential and industrial communities.

He welcomed Maluleka’s presence and the commitment from the City’s electricity department, while stressing that the electricity issue was only one of several matters raised by residents.

“These developments are a breakthrough, but we will continue to oversee other issues raised in the memorandum of service delivery demands,” Moroane said.

Among the outstanding concerns he identified are the long-running request for traffic lights in the Clarina community, by-law enforcement and streetlights, as well as continued attention to the needs of the Klerksoord industrial business community.

Meanwhile, MMC Aaron Maluleka, responsible for Region 1, confirmed that he visited the Diamond Substation, which is currently undergoing refurbishment to strengthen the electricity infrastructure and improve reliability in the area.

“Recently, Pretoria North, particularly Klerksoord, has been severely affected by persistent power outages, disrupting households, businesses and the daily lives of our residents,” he said.

“The refurbishment includes the installation of a perimeter fence and security cameras, as well as the replacement of the faulty cable. These interventions are aimed at stabilising the electricity supply and ensuring a more reliable service for the community.

“We understand the frustration caused by ongoing power outages, and we are working to address the challenges affecting the electricity network. Our commitment remains to improve service delivery and ensure that the people of Region 1 receive reliable services. The work continues. We will continue engaging with residents and relevant teams until electricity supply is stabilised.”

The agreement between the two candidates is particularly notable because Van der Westhuizen and Moroane are political competitors for the same Ward 98 council seat in the 2026 Local Government Elections.

The two have previously been at loggerheads over who was first to take the community’s electricity concerns to the City, with both claiming that their respective efforts helped force the municipality to respond.

Van der Westhuizen points to his petition, community mobilisation and picket as evidence that residents’ pressure produced results.

Moroane, meanwhile, maintains that his own engagement with the City and the submission of a memorandum helped place the area’s service-delivery crisis directly before municipal authorities.

Both candidates have effectively claimed a measure of credit for the latest development.

Yet, despite the political contest, Thursday’s development provided an unusual moment of common ground: the community’s electricity crisis requires action, regardless of who receives political credit for bringing it to the City’s attention.

ELECTION DATE DRAWS NEARER!

With the 4 November 2026 local government elections approaching, service delivery is likely to remain a major battleground in Ward 98.

For residents of Klerksoord and Platinum Park, however, the immediate priority is less about political victory and more about whether the promised infrastructure is delivered, whether electricity becomes reliable and whether the remaining demands in the memorandum are addressed.