Eskom urges Gauteng customers to use electricity efficiently to avoid network overload and frequent supply interruptions.
The call by Eskom follows a rise in network overloading incidents, which lead to sporadic and continuous power supply interruptions.
To help alleviate the network from the unsustainable pressure, electricity users are advised to switch off geysers, stoves, heaters and other non-essential equipment during peak hours, which are mornings between 05:00 and 09:00 and in the evenings between 17:00 and 22:00.
Mashangu Xivambu, Gauteng cluster senior manager in maintenance and operations, also added that Eskom is experiencing extensive supply interruptions across Gauteng as a result of failed electricity infrastructure due to network overloads, which are caused by unauthorised operations, illegal connections, meter tampering and bypasses and equipment vandalism.
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“In some cases, residents embark on protests, which result in road closures and interfere with our efforts to restore supply in affected areas. Preventing us access to such areas causes delays in the restoration of supply to customers,” he said.
“This also poses a safety risk to our employees. Our employees will not operate in areas where their safety may be compromised. We, therefore, appeal to communities to always cooperate with us by clearing roads and to not interfere with our operations on site.
“To avoid frequent and prolonged outages, we advise our communities to take care of the infrastructure that supplies them with electricity by refraining from all illegal activities that lead to the network failure.”
Based on several articles this paper has covered over the past few weeks on electricity power failure-related issues, the CoE has finally broken its silence and condemned residents against illegal connections. The City of Ekurhuleni warned residents against illegal electricity-related activities as these contribute immensely to its network failure.
With regards to the Sunnyridge crisis, published on May 28, City of Ekurhuleni communication and media relations divisional head Nhlanhla Cebekhulu said the main problem around the area’s substation that could have caused the volts to spike is theft of electric equipment at the substation.
“The CoE is continually maintaining its network and requests customers not to overload the network through bypassing of meter, illegal connections and upgrading their circuit breaker in their houses,” said Cebekhulu.
When asked how customers can proceed with the property liability claiming process, he said the customer can complete the form with all relevant supporting documents and submit it to the risk and insurance section at 68 Woburn Avenue. The council insurer will decide on the merits of the claim.
Customers are further encouraged to buy legal electricity tokens and to pay for their consumption. Those found to have contravened will be disconnected and issued with reconnection fines, which have to be paid in full before the supply is restored.
Contact the newsroom by emailing: Marietta Lombard (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za, or (Journalists) Busi Vilakazi busiv@caxton.co.za
