Pretoria - Four days after a severe thunderstorm swept through Pretoria, damaging electricity stations, some residents are still without power.
Despite the City of Tshwane’s claims that power had been restored to large parts of the north of Pretoria by on Sunday, residents were fuming as they were still in the dark.
Council spokesman Selby Bokaba said the Wolmer sub-station, feeding electricity to most areas in the north of the city, was damaged by the heavy storm on Thursday.
On Sunday evening, angry residents challenged the city’s claim that work was being done at the 132/11kv supply Wolmer sub-station.
“Five towers in the sub-station need to be replaced. Initially we anticipated that it would have been restored by today (Sunday), but it has taken longer than expected. The city’s energy and electricity department and Eskom are working tirelessly to restore power…” said Bokaba. He said that since Saturday evening the city had been rotating power supplies at six-hour intervals.
Residents disputed this. Stephanie van der Spuy commented on a post on the city’s Facebook page, calling them liars. “Theresa Park is already on three days, going into its fourth night without power, so according to your statement above we should have power by now. You also mention that you rotate the power in the different areas… we haven’t had power since 8pm on Thursday night. So please don’t lie.”
Jaco Coetzee wrote: “I went to the sub-station to have a look… and it’s the truth! Nobody is working “tirelessly”… Absolutely pathetic!!!!!!!!!.”
Bokaba again disputed this: “Progress at the Wolmer sub-station is going well. We apologise for the inconvenience caused and this unfortunate situation. I would also be angry if I was without electricity, but this was an act of nature and we are working tirelessly to get this done. We anticipate to have the station fully restored by this Monday evening. During the course of Monday we will supply power to the industrial area and by late afternoon we are hoping to restore full power to residents,” he said.
Rob Summers from Nina Park said they had had no electricity since Thursday. “I work from home using my computer and cellphone, so I haven’t been able to work since then. We also had to take out items in the freezer to a friend’s house in a different part of the city.”
Dolf Oliver, who lives on a smallholding in Onderstepoort, said: “Every time the weather acts up and it starts getting windy and overcast with rain, the power goes off. I’m not sure if it’s old connections and cables or what, but this happens all the time.”
The Oliver family depend on an electrically powered water pump.
“With the electricity off we cannot go there to pump any water. I now have to go back and forth with the generator just to pump some water for the essentials and then come back home and then back again when we need water. I’ve spent over 80 litres on petrol in the last few days for the generator.
“Criminals target the smallholdings a lot. We have cameras and security beams, but without electricity we cannot run them, he said.
Executive mayor Kgosientso Ramagkopa visited some of the areas. Many homes across the city had been left without roofs and windows. Two people were swept away in Soshanguve.
“The city once again expresses support to those affected by the severe weather conditions, including loss and damage to life and property. The mayor is considering additional relief measures and is studying the impact report from various city departments, including housing, energy, environment, roads, emergency,” mayoral spokesman Blessing Manale said.
Meanwhile, the city has had no other serious instances of damage since Thursday’s storm.
Spokesman Johan Pieterse said emergency services helped homes that had minimal flooding from stormwater drains that could not cope with the increased volume.
People voice their frustration:
* Theresa Park is already on 3 days, going for its 4th night, so according to your statement above we should have power by now. You also mention that you rotate the power in the different areas… we haven’t had power since 8pm on Thursday night. So please don’t lie. - Stephanie van der Spuy
* Theresa Park is the only area which has been without power since thursday night!!! all the other areas have either been restored or have power!!!!!!! – Chantelle Kuun Smit
* So you telling us that we won’t have electricity again in Theresapark!!! I’m so p… off right now. – Nkele Sesake Diseko
* I got that message of 3 days on Friday already and now its another 3 days, I mean really tell the truth HOW LONG???? – Estie De Ru Charters
* Menlo Park also doesn’t have electricity. – Chantalle Scott
* I went to the sub-station to have a look… and it's the truth! nobody is working “tirelessly”… Absolutely pathetic! – Jaco Coetzee
* I agree ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC!!!! – Estie De Ru Charters
* Think I need to go the sub-station now and take pictures of the city’s Energy and Electricity Department that is CURRENTLY working tirelessly to do the necessary. I hate lies – Nkele Sesake Diseko
* This is all just very unfair, just a bit of wind and so many people suffer, lose their expensive groceries, who will pay for this? Above all we don’t get any real updates, not good. – Charles Fridsma
*Six hour intervals my a**! We still don’t have electricity in Theresapark! Our six hours will probably be from 12 to 6!
Pretoria News