Flames surrounding Gholfsig substation, town without power
"Don't panic!" Gholfsig substation surrounded by flames, but power expected to return this evening.
Update: Power has begun to return in Kanonkop and Dennesig.
Update: Steve Tshwete Executive Mayor Mhlonishwa Masilela posted the following on his personal Facebook page, “Municipality is aware of the electricity interruption due to the cable fault at the substation. Some areas will be restored with the next few hours. Further notice will be communicated to the areas that are affected by the cable fault.”
Original story
Unconfirmed reports indicated that the Gholfsig substation had exploded this evening, leaving large swaths of Middelburg without electricity.
Various posts and videos have begun to flood social media in the past half hour, decrying the lack of power and displaying the flames emitting from the burning substation.
However, the following message circulating on numerous WhatsApp groups indicates that there was not an explosion, but an alleged short circuit with the cable.
The message claims that the substation is still intact, and that technicians are at the scene, with electricity to be restored shortly.
The Middelburg Observer contacted Councillor Ena Uys to corroborate this information, who stated, “I have just spoken to the acting director of the power station, there was no explosion, a cable caught alight. There is no restoriation time currently, but the public should not panic, I expect the issue to be resolved within the next hour. I have already seen some lights come back on.”
Update: The Steve Tshwete Local Municipality shared the same message on their Facebook page.
You can read the full message circulating on WhatsApp below:
“Gholfsig substation is still intact, there was a short on the cable that caused fire and only burnt the grass around the substation. Technicians are here sorting the cable. Electricity will be restored very soon. There was no explosion of the substation.”
You can also watch several videos of the fire below:
@middelburgobserver Gholfsig substation up in flames, large parts of town without power
@middelburgobserver The current scene at the Gholfsig substation
@middelburgobserver More footage of the Gholfsig substation
