The MCCI’s Electricity Portfolio Committee, at the end of October 2024, proposed that MCCI submit a Form A1 requesting all relevant information about the SCADA System. Certain technical issues came to light about the Gholfsig Substation reconstruction following the 10 December 2019 fire. It was then decided to request information about the Gholfsig Substation as well, as the two issues seems to be linked. The Executive Committee unanimously endorsed the proposals. 

MCCI submitted a written proposal to the Steve Tshwete Council in March 2023 requesting funding for a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to be linked to the STLM’s electricity grid. The SCADA system would assist STLM to identify areas for loadshedding or load curtailment when our electricity is loadshedded by Eskom.  

The MCCI members offered their technical assistance and support to the Electrical Department to determine the cause of the SCADA system’s installation delay, but the offers were dismissed out of hand.  

Press releases from the electricity department have indicated an inability to predict power restoration times following outages. Is the Gholfsig Substation’s rebuild the direct cause of this? The information we asked for will hopefully clarify this question. 

The PAIA (Promotion of Access to Information Act) entitles MCCI to request information from public bodies. The members trust that STLM will supply the information soon so that this matter can be finalised. Contact Anna-Marth Ott (ceo@middelburgchamber.com) with questions or information.