Dinwiddie residents still grapple with power woes after months

Residents of Dinwiddie are exasperated with the ongoing power issues that have plagued their community for months.

Persistent electricity outages have left residents in darkness for days, transforming a minor inconvenience into a severe struggle with no resolution in sight.

Sibusiso Siko, a resident of Dinwiddie, expressed the community’s frustration:

“We are tired of being in the dark more often than having power, despite our payments being up to date. We’ve been struggling since March with the Langdale substation, which only receives temporary fixes.”

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Siko noted that they have not experienced a full week of electricity since March and have endured more than two weeks of darkness each month.

The Langdale substation’s issues seem to impact only a few streets, namely Clive Road, Langdale Road and Swanage Street.

Despite residents reporting the matter and logging numerous calls and emails, they are repeatedly informed that technicians are working on the problem.

The outages have significantly disrupted daily life, especially during the winter season, making it difficult for children to get ready for school and causing food spoilage and appliance damage due to high voltage fluctuations.

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“We have had to spend extra money to replace damaged items and on doctor’s visits as our children are constantly sick. It is unfair to us as residents,” said Siko.

The power issues in Dinwiddie are not new, and the city has failed to provide answers on how they plan to resolve the problem.

Germiston City News inquired about the city’s plans to fix the Langdale substation and restore power.

Zweli Dlamini, the city’s spokesperson, explained that theft and vandalism are significant problems affecting several substations in Dinwiddie.

“Repairs are ongoing, but failures occur due to overloading, especially during winter when demand is high,” said Dlamini.

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He emphasized that the city strives to keep residents informed about outages through communication channels such as WhatsApp and SMS, allowing residents to make necessary arrangements.

Dlamini assured that the city is working on a repair plan.

“There is an action plan to conduct repairs. Due to the extent of vandalism and theft of equipment and cables, the estimated restoration will depend on the availability of necessary equipment,” he stated.