Residents of large parts of Brakpan have been without power since the evening of October 28, with no clear indication of when the supply will be restored.

According to PR Clr Riaan van Zyl, the outage is due to faults on the oil-filled electricity cable running from the Van Eck Substation to Vulcania 33.

Based on information he says he received directly from the City of Ekurhuleni’s electricity department, Van Zyl determined that the estimated restoration time would be three to five days, but could take longer due to multiple faults.

On October 29, the Brakpan Herald asked the city which areas are affected, whether the reported cause is the fault on the split joint of the oil-filled cable as stated by Van Zyl, whether the three to five day restoration time is accurate, and what residents can do should the outage continue for longer?

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The city replied this morning (October 30), and confirmed the outage is affecting the Brakpan CBD, Sallies Village, Anzac, Vulcania and Brenthurst.

“Investigation work is still ongoing as electrical tests indicate multiple faults along the cable route. Once all faults have been determined, it is only then that ERT can be confirmed,” said city spokesperson Zweli Dlamini.

Meanwhile, the Herald has received numerous calls and messages from residents regarding difficulties and frustrations as a result of the outage.

On a service delivery WhatsApp group for residents of Tweedy Park, Drummond Doig, a ward councillor candidate, told the elderly residents that it is his understanding that the generator on the premises of Tweedy Park is only able to service the lifts in the complex, as well as the rooftop reservoir’s water pump, with no power being fed to the flats or the cottages directly.

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This generator reportedly has no diesel.

Residents of the old age home complained that they can’t buy groceries or access anything due to the lifts being non-operational without the generator.

Other residents, like Ester Truter, complained that they can’t make municipal payments at the Brakpan Customer Care Centre, allegedly due to the generator at the municipal building also not having diesel.

“We pay water and electricity, we pay taxes, we pay levies, they receive money from national government, why on earth is there no diesel for the generators for the municipal offices? Where is the money going?” she asked.