Page 80 - Bulletin 11 2007

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was both a handy way to power the pumps, and illuminate streets and houses.

In 1898 Kalk Bay had attempted to purchase electric power from Cape Town, but the
City’s application to run a cable to Kalk Bay was blocked by the Cape Government

Railways who would not entertain the idea of a cable running alongside their tracks. In

1902, Bennett suggested generating current by hydro-electric power using the flow from
their mountain dam. But in view of the large consumption expected to arise from the

Muizenberg Foreshore Syndicate plans, and the Municipality’s resolve to maintain a
monopoly on the supply of electric power, the Municipality built their own generating

station with generous over-capacity, fuelled by refuse, with coal-firing possible as a
standby.

Electricity comes to the Cape and Kalk Bay.

Electricity is our most useful form of energy. It is a unique commodity in that it cannot

be stored and it therefore has to be made at the same instant that the consumer uses it.

Michael Faraday, in 1831, made experiments with a piece of wire and a magnet, and
discovered he could produce electricity. (Fig. 2.1). When Mr Gladstone, the Chancellor

of the Exchequer, challenged him: “What is the use of electricity?” Faraday replied,
“Why, Sir, there is every probability that you will soon be able to tax it!”

Instead of a piece of wire use is made of a machine called a stator because it remains
stationary. The magnet turns inside the opening and is called a “rotor” because it

rotates. (Fig. 2.2).

Electricity was introduced into this country only 29 years after Faraday’s experiment.
Electricity was publicly used in South Africa for the first time with the opening of the

telegraph line from Simon’s Town to Cape Town in April 1860. (Figs. 2.3 & 2.4). It

was built for the benefit of shipping and was the very first electric line in South Africa.
Today there are about 350,000 kilometres of high voltage power lines in South Africa.