Lydenburg has transformer woes on account of Eskom debt

The Thaba Chweu Local Municipality (TCLM) is negotiating with Eskom to address the ongoing issues with a faulty transformer that has left many residents and businesses in the dark.

According to reliable sources, the municipality’s substantial debt to Eskom, exceeding R1b, has contributed to Eskom’s apparent reluctance to repair or replace the damaged equipment.

The residents have expressed their increasing frustration over Eskom’s inconsistent load-reduction schedules, further complicating their daily lives.

Also read: Update on the progress of Lydenburg’s Viljoen Street

Many households and local businesses report that the lack of reliable electricity has made it difficult to plan for work, leading to disruptions and economic strain.

The residents have been subjected to load reduction on a five-hour-on, five-hour-off rotation. September 27 marks a week of this reduction without any information about when residents’ power will be fully restored.

The DA’s councillor, Spiros Couvaras, said: “As the DA, we are continuously trying to find out what the schedule for the load reduction is and why they cannot stick to it. They are busy with discussions with Eskom about the transformer coming in, and they must get that sorted as soon as possible. With the load reduction, although they are accommodating everyone, there has to be a concrete schedule. Nobody can plan anything. We would therefore request TCLM to provide residents with a schedule in writing on Facebook and distribute it to all the necessary ward groups.”

A reliable source within TCLM told the newspaper that in response to the growing outcry, TCLM has indicated that it is actively working with Eskom to resolve the transformer issue. However, the negotiations are complicated by the municipality’s outstanding debt.

The newspaper sent requests for comment to Eskom. The power giant confirmed receipt of these queries and said it is busy compiling feedback on the matter. Eskom’s response will be published once received.

In the meantime, at the time of publishing, the TCLM has yet to inform its residents about the current situation and preferred to remain silent.