A collaboration between the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber and the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has seen progress in the ongoing work of the Electricity Technical Task Team, following the successful commissioning of all three transformers at the Redhouse Substation in Perseverance.
This milestone is a direct result of over a year of dedicated effort by the Task Team, comprising technical experts from the municipality and key representatives from business, including the Perseverance Business Association, one of 11 geographic clusters of the Chamber. The energising of all three transformers marks a major step forward in stabilising and strengthening electricity supply in one of the city’s most important industrial hubs.
“This is an encouraging example of how meaningful collaboration between the public and private sector can lead to real, on-the-ground improvements,” said Angus Clark, the Technical Task Team Lead of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber. “Reliable electricity supply is essential to economic growth, investment confidence, and job security. The successful commissioning of the Redhouse Substation transformers not only benefits the businesses operating in Perseverance but also sends a broader signal that progress is being made on infrastructure issues.”
The news was welcomed by the Perseverance Business Association, which has been actively involved in the Technical Task Team. Brenton van Vuuren, Managing Director at Borbet South Africa, emphasised the significance of this achievement: “For industries like ours, consistent power supply is non-negotiable. This development gives us the stability we need to plan ahead, maintain operations and continue investing in the region. It’s a real win for industry and for job retention.”
Clark also highlighted the role of key municipal officials: “We particularly acknowledge the contribution of the NMBM’s Acting Director of Electricity and Energy. Despite facing pressure and resource constraints on various fronts, he and his team have remained focused on delivering critical infrastructure solutions. his kind of technical leadership deserves recognition.”
Commenting on the milestone, Tholi Biyela, Acting Executive Director of Electricity and Energy at the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, said: “This project reflects the tangible outcomes we can achieve when business and government work together with a shared commitment to progress. The successful energising of the Redhouse Substation transformers not only improves the resilience of our electrical network but also enhances our capacity to support industrial growth in Perseverance and beyond. It’s a win for the economy and a demonstration of our ability to address service delivery challenges
collaboratively.”
Biyela further highlighted that from the municipality’s side, “this achievement helps us to reduce system strain, improve reliability and create the kind of infrastructure certainty that investors need. It also showcases the calibre of technical professionals in our city, who are often working quietly behind the scenes to keep essential services running.”
This positive development at the Redhouse Substation illustrates what is possible when constructive collaboration is prioritised.
