Work to restore power in some parts of Tshwane is still under way after a stormy week in the capital city.
On Tuesday evening many shacks across the municipality were blown away by the devastating winds. Some power lines were compromised, leaving residents without electricity.
Areas such as Laudium and Pretoria north were hit by severe thunderstorms on Sunday, uprooting trees and causing widespread power outages.
Many residents had their power restored after at least 24 hours.
However, on Thursday the City reported that it was still grappling with repairing some damages on its infrastructure, including restoring power to many households.
Residents in the City’s Region 7 and Thembisile Hani Local Municipality, experienced water shortages after lightning struck the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Plant.
MMC for Utilities and Regional Operations and Coordination, Themba Fosi, said: “Repair work on primary and secondary electricity networks continues across various regions following a series of severe thunderstorms over the past few days.”
He assured residents that the City’s Energy and Electricity Department was coordinating with regional teams to mitigate the impact of these outages.
“In Region 1, medium-voltage outages persist in the Tswaing/Orange Farm area and are being attended to. The Bon Accord 11 kV Substation and GV 11 kV power lines in Region 2 have been restored. The ground team is on-site addressing issues at the Vastfontein 11kV power line,” he said.
He said significant challenges persisted in Region 3, including broken overhead lines, low- and medium-voltage cable faults and medium-voltage equipment failures.
“Teams are addressing medium-voltage issues, breakdowns and outages, supported by cherry pickers for efficient resolution. Due to resource constraints stemming from previous storms, delays in resolving some outages are expected,” Fosi said.
In Region 4, he said, medium-voltage outages had largely been restored while outstanding single outages were being attended to.
“There are various ongoing tasks in Region 5, including cutting trees and repairing poles and cables to address outages in the Refilwe, Baviaanspoort and Pienaarspoort areas. Challenges with stolen equipment are being addressed, with efforts to replace stolen items underway,” he said.
Municipal teams were addressing backlogs and single outage complaints in Region 6, which had seen significant improvement.
“Issues at the Wapadrand 132 kV Substation and Waltloo Depot have been successfully resolved. The City of Tshwane assures residents that every effort is being made to expedite the restoration of power and address the challenges posed by the recent thunderstorms. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our community during this time,” Fosi said.
Pretoria News