Businesses Highlight High Bills and Power Cuts as Impediment to Growth and Job Creation

Ald Cilliers Brink DA Tshwane Caucus Leader

By Cilliers Brink
DA Tshwane Mayoral Candidate

As part of my listening tour I visited the Rosslyn Industrial area, a major contributor to industry and employment, and a major potential growth area for investment and jobs into the City of Tshwane.

The purpose of the visit is to inform the DA’s approach to foster investment and job creation in the City of Tshwane when returning to governing the City after elections 2026.

What is clear from the engagement is that business growth is dependent on bringing the cost of bulk electricity supply in line with other metros and ensuring stable electricity supply.

Business owners of energy intensive production industries, like manufacturers of automotive components, pointed out the immense need for stable and reliable electricity supply.

The area is plagued by cable theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure leading to unplanned power cuts which is costly as it creates delays in manufacturing and often leads to the need to discard of parts.

The Rosslyn Improvement District, which was started during the DA’s time in administration, where businesses and government take hands to tackle issues, is showing promise in bringing relief.

But, the opportunity exists for this association to become entrenched in the private security sector for crime prevention, an approach that the DA has been advocating for as an alternative to the current watchmen services used to secure electricity infrastructure in Tshwane.

One manufacturer pointed out a sharp increase in their municipal bill since the start of The City of Tshwane’s new financial year.

Municipal bills, and especially electricity costs, is a hurdle in growth and job creation.

This underscores what the DA has been maintaining; the municipality cannot use its ratepayers as cash cows, and tax itself out of financial difficulty.

The DA remains committed to work with honest, hardworking residents of Tshwane to find solutions to grow the City of Tshwane.