Goods at Joburg’s fresh produce market is rotting because a brand new R32 million generator can’t be used as a backup power source against load-shedding due to power cable theft.
Apparently, fruit and vegetables with a market value of R10 million are at stake after the market lost power last Saturday morning.
The generator was acquired some three years ago to prop up the cold chain capacity at the Joburg Market Fruit Hub, but has stood idle almost from the start.
An anonymous source told Farmer’s Weekly (FW) that the design error of the generator resulted in fumes entering the market once the backup power source was switched on.
Another source said that the real problem is the market’s inability to cope with cable theft.
As soon as new cables are installed, they are stolen, allegedly by the same supplier, presumably to generate more income.
It was also reported that a service provider tasked with customising the generator, so fumes aren’t spewed into the market, is costing the market millions.
It is understood not a single cold chain room at the market is working.
The CEO of Grow Fresh Produce Agents, Hendrik Eksteen, told FW: “It’s a disaster of note.”
