The Department of Public Works & Infrastructure (DPWI) has denied generators installed at the Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) are malfunctioning, saying the issue is rather with diesel, which is reported to have run out.

The non-functioning of the generators has caused the High Court to institute virtual case hearings, notes a report in The Star.

Department spokesperson Thamsanqa Mchunu said there was no truth to reports the generators were at fault in the matter.

‘We wish to provide context on the directive given by Deputy Judge President Sutherland on 12 January. The generators that have been provided by the DPWI are reliable, and they work. They are adequate, and the only problem that arises is the issue of fuel. Regarding the issue at the Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg), DPWI was only informed of the problem on 13 January and that the fuel was low. Client departments are responsible for ensuring that generators do not run out of fuel. We are responsible for the installation, maintenance, and fixing of generators.’

He added: ‘The DPWI has placed a technician on site so they may deal with any issues that may arise with the generators as quickly as possible.’

Meanwhile, many people have been turned back after the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court postponed hearings due to an unexpected power outage seemingly caused by the explosion of a sub-station, says a Pretoria News report.

A back-up generator used to power the entire building also stopped working.

It was reported that the sub-station explosion took place on Monday, after the load shedding schedule ended and power was restored to the area.

Full report in The Star

Full Pretoria News report