Eskom has denied claims that Lonehill experiences monthly power outages, following concerns raised by resident Izelda Crous, whose special-needs child was severely affected by a prolonged electricity disruption in parts of Fourways and Lonehill earlier this week.

The outage, which began on February 3, prompted Crous to speak out about what she described as a devastating impact on her household. “This is not just an inconvenience anymore. My child cannot understand why the lights haven’t come back on. Every day, Eskom changes the story, closes our fault reports, and extends timelines. We are exhausted and desperate for answers.”

She added that after living in Lonehill for 20 years, the frequency of outages over the past five years had become unbearable, saying residents felt abandoned amid growing development in nearby Beverley.

Read more: Overnight power outages hit Beverly, Lonehill, and Paulshof

However, Eskom spokesperson Amanda Qithi said the utility’s records do not support claims of monthly outages in Lonehill.

“Interruptions occur from time to time due to faults, equipment failure, or maintenance requirements, as is the case with electricity networks globally. When outages occur, Eskom prioritises restoration as quickly and safely as possible.”

According to Eskom, the recent outage was caused by a cable fault and the failure of a ring main unit (RMU) within the network supplying parts of Fourways and Lonehill.

Qithi said electricity supply was restored progressively as repairs were completed, with approximately 50% of affected customers reconnected on the evening of February 4, and full restoration achieved on February 5 at around 16:30.

Also read: Eskom blames cable faults for ongoing power outages in Douglasdale

Responding to allegations that fault tickets were being closed without resolution, Qithi said Eskom was not aware of any such cases linked to this outage. “Restoration work was carried out in phases as the cable fault and failed equipment were replaced and repaired. Customers were restored as soon as it was technically safe to do so.”

Eskom also dismissed suggestions that nearby property development was responsible for the outage.

“The recent outage was not caused by property development. It resulted from a cable fault and the failure of network equipment.

Qithi added that Eskom continuously monitors network demand and carries out infrastructure upgrades where required to support growth and reliability in areas including Fourways and Lonehill.

Ward 94 councillor David Foley, who took punches from frustrated residents like a pro this week, confirmed that power had been restored in the whole area on February 6. “What a day and what a week,” he said, expressing relief.

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