The City of Cape Town is busy installing generators and inverter systems at City facilities where the public has direct interaction with officials, be it to pay bills, or request specific services. The first three generators were installed last month, and another six will be installed in March and April. All-in-all, the City plans to install 28 generators and inverter systems over the next two financial years, pending budget needs and the availability of these machines given the high demand as Eskom’s load-shedding woes continue.
‘The first three generators were installed at the City facilities at Hillstar and Ottery, and the Rochester Metro Police facility. I visited these sites to inspect the generators and get an understanding of how the machines will ensure we keep on delivering our services to residents in the midst of load-shedding.
‘We will be installing another six generators and inverter systems at other City offices in coming weeks. The City is doing all we can to ensure business continues and our residents receive the assistance they need. Load-shedding is having a huge impact on all of us, but in Cape Town we are planning ahead to improve our resilience and capacity to deal with the energy crisis,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services, Alderman Theresa Uys.
The Hillstar Municipal Complex houses the Drivers Licence Testing Centre (DLTC). The Ottery Municipal Complex also houses a DLTC; and the Rochester Metro Police facility provides an essential service to the public, including a walk-in office for the public, and operates 24/7 all year round.
‘The newly installed generators have an enabling function that reports faults and warnings such as overloading or low fuel levels and alerts the responsible persons with an SMS to respond to the problem. This allows communication between the generators and the facility officers at the respective buildings,’ said Alderman Uys.
Generators and inverter systems will be installed at the following City facilities during March and April 2023:
· Wesfleur
· Pinelands
· Strand
· Brackenfell
· Kraaifontein
· Bellville South
‘Facilities where the City has direct interaction with residents, provide essential services such as revenue offices, and where residents walk in and require a service, are prioritised for the roll-out of 28 generators over the next two financial years. We will take into consideration the needs of the local community, and the type of services rendered at the particular facility. The roll-out will also depend on the availability of generators and inverter systems as the demand is very high for these resources, and as always, it will depend on the available budget,’ said Alderman Uys.
Roll-out of generators at City facilities:
· 9 between January and 30 June 2023
· 28 from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2025
‘The City’s Revenue offices, which include cash receiving, account enquiries, motor vehicle registration and licensing offices have seen an increase in the number of its customers in queues primarily due to Eskom’s load-shedding over recent months.
‘We are doing all we can to ensure the continuation of our essential customer facing services during periods of load-shedding. The roll-out of generators to City offices across the metro will improve service delivery and we look forward to seeing more installations to additional facilities in the coming weeks and months.
‘The City reminds residents to use its Online Booking System to get ahead of the queue when visiting an office and we encourage residents to register for eServices to make it easier to receive and pay their accounts, enter meter readings and renew vehicle licences, among other services,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Finance, Councillor Siseko Mbandezi.
Residents may access the online booking system at https://bookings.capetown.gov.za to book an appointment.
To register for eServices visit: https://eservices.capetown.gov.za/irj/portal
For motor vehicle registration and licensing assistance: Vehicle.Licence@capetown.gov.za
For municipal and City rental payments:
Online: www.Easypay.co.za or www.powertime.co.za
EFTs: Select the City as a bank-listed beneficiary. Use only your nine-digit municipal account number as reference
Retailers: Shoprite, Checkers, USave, Pick n Pay, PEP, Ackermans, Lewis, Top It Up, Woolworths and selected Spar shops
ATM: Contact your bank to add the City as an ATM beneficiary
For more information contact the City’s Customer Call Centre on: 086 010 3089 or email us at contact.us@capetown.gov.za
