Some residents in Bethal have been without electricity for seven days now.
This came after two transformers burnt, as well as cable theft.
Two areas in Bethal are without electricity as one transformer burnt in the CBD on Friday, 27 July and another one burnt in the area where the plots are on Tuesday morning, 31 July.
Before the transformer at the plots burnt, cables were stolen and caused electricity outages.
According to Ms Marietjie Fourie, DA Councillor, she contacted the electrical department of the municipality on Friday when the electricity outages began, but all the electricians were busy somewhere else.
When she tried to contact the regional manager later, his phone was switched off as well as the electrician’s phone and the supervisor did not reply to her phone calls or messages.
Ms Fourie also tried to contact the head of the department, but his phone was also switched off.
She informed residents on Saturday afternoon that she informed the electrician and that he was on site tending to the problems.
By 6.30nm on Saturday evening (28 July) the electricians were still looking for the problem and could not find it and continued to look for the fault the next day, Sunday, 29 July.
The electricians were still working on the electricity problems in the CBD, extension 3 and the plots area by 5.30pm on Sunday.
Ms Fourie informed residents at 8.15pm that the area at the plots will not have electricity that night as well as extension 3 and the CBD.
The electricians detected a fault the next day (Monday, 30 July) and electricity in the area around extension 3 came on at 10.30am.
The electricians installed an old transformer in the CBD on Monday, but it did not work and they had to order a new one.
This leaves the CBD without power still and some business owners are using generators while others had to throw meat that has gone bad, away.
The electricity at the plotte area came on on Tuesday evening (31 July) but on Wednesday evening it went off again.
This leaves the plotte area without electricity still today and Ms Fourie informed residents on social media that the electricians have not established the reason for the power outage yet.
“In the CBD there was no sign of the transformer this morning yet and delivery is dependant on the service provider,” said Ms Fourie.
“Residents should keep in mind that installation of such a transformer takes time.”
