As the severe weather continues unabated in the Western Cape, Eskom says it is working around the clock to restore electricity to large parts of the province affected by outages.
Heavy rainfall, flooding and gale-force winds continue to affect the Eskom network, causing multiple unplanned power outages that have left thousands of customers without electricity.
Recovery teams
The utility’s spokesperson, Daphne Mokwena, said Eskom recovery teams have been dispatched to attend to the various faults but face major challenges in some areas where infrastructure is inaccessible due to severe flooding and unsafe conditions.
“Eskom is working closely with Provincial Disaster Management to consolidate and review the extent and severity of network and access route damages that prohibit safe construction activities.”
Patience
Eskom has urged the public to be patient while its response teams navigate these conditions to restore power as soon as possible.
The major faults have impacted the following areas:
Cape Metropole
- Eersterivier
- Jamestown
- Leiden, Delft
- Nomzamo
- Parts of Khayelitsha
Cape Winelands / Boland
- Ashton
- Barrydale
- Bonnievale
- Breerivier
- Boskloof
- Ceres
- De Doorns, Touwsrivier and surrounding farms and traction stations
- Klapmuts
- Montagu
- Perdeberg
- Rawsonville Municipality and surrounding farms
- Tulbagh
- Villiersdorp
- Wolseley
Garden Route
- Albertinia
- Karatara
- Knysna
- Meiringspoort
- Plettenberg Bay and surrounding areas
- Rheenendal
- Robberg
- Riversdale
- Sedgefield
- Stilbaai
- Woodville
- Wilderness
Overberg / Overstrand
- Arniston
- Betty’s Bay
- Bredasdorp
- Buffelsjag
- Caledon
- Gaansbaai
- Grabouw and surrounding areas
- Greyton
- Hawston
- Heidelberg
- Hermanus
- Kleinmond
- McGregor
- Napier
- Onrus
- Pringle Bay
- Riviersonderend surrounding farms
- Rooi Els
- Stanford
- Struisbaai
- Swellendam
- Vermont
West Coast
- Citrusdal
- Lambert’s Bay
- Vredendal
- Wellington’s surrounding farm areas
“Eskom wishes to thank its customers for their patience, understanding and continued support during this period,” Mokwena said.
Cape of Storms
Meanwhile, the severe storm sweeping through Cape Town and the Western Cape has left a trail of destruction, with hundreds of residents in the Breede Valley evacuated by disaster management teams.
The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) has classified the severe weather events as a national disaster.
Evacuations
Humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers spokesperson Ali Sablay said the team assisted with mass evacuations involving approximately 400 residents.
