Parts of Nelson Mandela Bay have been plunged into darkness following the collapse of two major 132kV power line towers, leaving residents and businesses without electricity.
The municipality has reverted to its two-week deadline after setting a 10-day deadline for restoration.
However, the restoration was initially estimated to take 14 days.
Repair work underway with Eskom support
The municipality shared on Saturday that technical teams were working to remove tension on the collapsed tower, a critical step before new poles can be planted.
It confirmed that “Eskom joined the repair team this morning, and together with municipal officials, external contractors and all role players on site, there is confidence that a collaborative and effective solution will be achieved as efficiently as possible.”
The mayor, MMC and councillors expressed encouragement at the progress made and commended the teams working under challenging conditions.
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Vandalism, poor maintenance and weather blamed for collapse
The towers linking Chatty, Bloemendal and Rowallan Park collapsed due to what the municipality describes as a combination of vandalism, inadequate infrastructure maintenance and strong winds.
During a site visit on Friday, municipal technical teams were already on site working to repair the damage.
According to News24, Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber spokesperson Sibongile Dimbaza said: “It is highly concerning that large parts of Nelson Mandela Bay have been without power, and in some instances water, since yesterday (Thursday) afternoon.
“It is our understanding that this is due to the combination of ongoing vandalism, lack of infrastructure maintenance and strong winds causing the collapse of two major 132KV power line towers linking Chatty, Bloemendal and Rowallan Park.”
The municipality has strongly condemned acts of infrastructure vandalism, which continue to strain critical services across the metro.
Partial power restoration through load reduction
While repairs continue, the municipality indicated that electricity supply to certain areas can be partially restored through network back-feeding and load-reduction measures.
These would be implemented on a rotational basis.
The said areas include:
- Summerstrand,
- Walmer,
- South End,
- Tembani,
- Greenbushes industrial area,
- Parts of Kabega, and
- Seaview.
As part of system management and load balancing during the repair period, a two-hour load reduction schedule may be implemented in affected areas.
The municipality committed to communicating relevant schedules in advance.
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Water crisis compounds electricity woes
The power outage has triggered a cascading water crisis, with some reservoirs already running dry or at risk of doing so.
Dimbaza said some reservoirs “had already run dry or were at risk of doing so,” affecting water supply across multiple areas.
The municipality has deployed water tankers to affected areas and urged residents to be patient.
In a statement, officials said: “Please accept our sincere apologies for the ongoing water disruption and the inconvenience it is causing. We understand how difficult this has been for residents.
“Water tankers are rotating through the affected areas to provide relief, and we kindly ask residents to be on the lookout for them.”
Water tanker deployment locations
According to the municipality, water trucks are currently operating in:
- Glenhaven,
- Mount Pleasant,
- Linton Grange,
- Jacksonville,
- Rosedale (Arcadia Street),
- Langa phase 5,
- Kwanobuhle (Ben Stungu),
- Acacia Avenue,
- Heathcote Street,
- Barberry drive,
- Laurence Erasmus Drive,
- Grompou Street,
- Muncwane Street,
- Buffelsfontein,
- 5th Street Bethelsdorp and
- Kunene Park.
“Tankers are continually moving within these areas, and might leave to refill but will return to these areas,” said the municipality.
Furthermore, it noted that tankers will be moved and prioritised as needed, and residents can contact their ward councillors for specific locations.
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Municipal pools closed due to water shortages
The ongoing water and electricity outages have forced the temporary closure of several municipal swimming pools.
The affected facilities include Westering Pool, Riviera Pool, Varsvlei Pool and Zwide Pool. Facility managers have been instructed to place visible signage at each site indicating that the site is closed due to water unavailability.
The municipality apologised for the inconvenience and thanked residents and staff for their patience, promising updates as soon as services are restored.
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