Smangele points to Eskom for three months with no power

A Riverside View resident was forced to change her lifestyle due to power difficulties that left her family in the dark for the past three months.

Smangele Vayina lives with her father, who has health battles from operations he had after he sustained injuries at work.

Vayina told Fourways Review that the problem started when their street Yellowwood Boulevard, had a power blackout and immediately informed the power utility.

“I heard that electricians from Eskom were busy fixing something else just down the street. Shortly after they were done, we were left without electricity.”

She added, “Initially, about eight houses did not have power. We reported the matter to Eskom, and the number was reduced to six after they resolved it. However, we were told that we should not use it because the electricity was weak,” she explained.

Since then, Vayina has had to take endless trips to the power utility to try and resolve their issue, but her efforts were all in vain.

“We do not have electricity since April. I called Eskom last week, and they told me they would send technicians to fix it, but they have yet to pitch. This is so painful for us.”

Smangele said that her main concern is her father’s wellbeing because he is the one who suffers the most.

“My father always complains about pains from his operations especially on his arm and legs. We do try to keep warm in the evening by filling water bottles with warm water. We use a gas stove for cooking,” she said.

Even she is not spared from their predicament. She said that finances are also the trickiest part and she is unable to study at night.

“My dad does not like to bother our neighbours or feel like a burden, so he does not want us to ask help from our neighbours with storing meat in their fridge. We buy food that does not need refrigerators and that is expensive because they do not last.”

“It is not easy for me too. I enrolled for a short course and I am not the type to study during the day because it is more peaceful at night. But now I cannot do it because there are no lights,” said Smangele.

She said that what she needs from Eskom is to turn their lights back on so that their lives can go back to normal.

“I wish that they can prioritise this matter because it affects us so badly. We cannot even charge our phones. It is painful to not have electricity and not because of load-shedding but from mistakes that they committed.”

Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena noted the reference number of the complainant when Fourways Review reached out for comment.

“At this stage, I can send the reference number to our dispatch team to investigate the query,” she said while adding that more information will be provided as soon as it becomes available.

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