WATERFALL and Molweni residents ask the municipality to fix the massive interruption of power supply in those areas.
A Molweni resident, Snegugu Shabalala, said besides the normal load shedding, they sometimes have no electricity for three days.
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She said they have had power outage issues for almost two years now, “The transformers in this area are a huge problem especially when it rains.
“We often hear a loud bang and when we ask what is happening, we are told that a transformer has blown up. We will stay for days without electricity. I have had meat getting rotten in the fridge.”
As a result of not knowing when the power will go off and for how long, Shabalala said she is even scared to buy groceries. “We are facing tough economic times but I have to buy food for every other day as I am scared that it will go off,” she said.
Apart from the transformers, the resident said cable theft is also a huge issue. “My neighbour was once without electricity for a month. They have stolen cables at her house for about four times now. They fix them and just after a day, the thieves steal them again,” explained Shabalala.
She pleaded with the ward councillor and the municipality to help them fix their issues.
A Waterfall resident, Norma Snyman, who also spoke to the Highway Mail, said they have had massive interrupted power supply for weeks, even though this has been reported several times to the authorities.
“Last week Tuesday, there was no electricity throughout the day. It came back on briefly at 9pm but it went off again at 10pm. Outside of the scheduled load shedding times, which still happens, power has been going off for at least 16 hours in a day,” she said.
Ward 9 DA PR councillor, Pearl Msomi, said the eThekwini Municipality’s failure to fix electricity faults lead to a permanent power outage in Waterfall and Molweni.
“The municipality owes the communities of Waterfall and Molweni answers. Residents are disappointed and frustrated by this. One resident complained that there has been at least seven power outages in the area in just one week, which is not related to load shedding,” said Msomi.
She added as a PR councillor in the area and after receiving several complaints from residents, she has contacted the municipal authorities.
“It can be confirmed that there seems to be a fault that requires repairing. I have since written to the head of the department to seek more clarity on this and the possible urgent action steps that the department will take to ensure residents have a reliable electricity supply in the area,” said Msomi.
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