By today, Thursday July 17, residents of Welverdiend and surrounding areas have now been without electricity for nearly three weeks — since June 29 — following a major failure at the Frikkie van der Merwe Substation.

The outage, affecting thousands of households, was caused by a transformer tripping due to winter-related overloading and an oil leak. The Merafong City Local Municipality initially promised swift action. Municipal Manager Dumisani Mabuza had committed to delivering a replacement transformer by July 3. However, this did not materialize, prompting mounting frustration and pressure from political parties and local leaders.

After delays and mounting public outcry, the repaired transformer finally arrived on Monday, July 15. But by Tuesday afternoon, it had still not been installed. By Tuesday night, municipal electricians reportedly connected the transformer and confirmed that it was “on and running.” Despite this, electricity had yet to be restored to homes by Thursday morning, leaving residents in continued darkness and despair.

The prolonged blackout has had serious consequences. The area has experienced a notable increase in crime, with several incidents of violent crime and cable theft reported while the power was off. In response, some residents took it upon themselves to guard local infrastructure to prevent further damage.

Tragically, the power outage has also claimed lives. Several community members who relied on oxygen machines have reportedly passed away after their devices stopped working.

On July 6, the mounting anger and frustration sparked widespread protests in Welverdiend, with residents demanding urgent intervention and accountability from the municipality.

As of this morning, the community is still awaiting the restoration of electricity, and tensions remain high.