Electricity supply to parts of Lonehill and Paulshof has been restored after residents were left without power for more than 24 hours following a cable fault, Eskom confirmed.

On January 2, Eskom said customers in Lonehill and Paulshof were experiencing supply interruptions due to a cable fault.

A test van was dispatched to conduct fault-finding, although no estimated time of restoration was initially provided at the time.

Read more: Eskom defends removal of Diepsloot transformers as residents enter 15th month without power

Eskom apologised for the inconvenience and said updates would be communicated as work progressed on site. Ward 93 councillor Vino Reddy was at the forefront of the issue, escalating the power issues to the power utility.

“Please may we receive an update on the ongoing power outage affecting residents. Power went out at approximately 2pm on New Year’s Day, and residents have now been without electricity for over 27 hours.

“Even with the tracing van on site, we should be able to receive an estimated time of restoration (ETR) or, at the very least, a progress update. Residents are growing increasingly frustrated, and any clarity you can provide would be greatly appreciated,” he said to Eskom in a post on X.

The power has since been restored, bringing relief to affected residents after more than a day without electricity.

The recent outage follows broader electricity challenges raised earlier this week by Ward 94 councillor David Foley, who highlighted prolonged power interruptions affecting several Craigavon suburbs, some dating back to before and during the Christmas period.

Also read: Electricity theft and vandalism cost Ward 93 residents dearly, says councillor

Foley said residents in areas including Blinkbaar Street, Cypress Lane, and Elder Lane had been left without electricity for extended periods, placing strain on households over the festive season.

“I can imagine spending Christmas without power, especially when it is a tradition for families to prepare lunch together. For some residents, sadly, that simply did not happen,” Foley said.

He added that while municipal entities are generally doing their jobs, overloaded services, particularly Eskom, continue to affect residents. Responding to Foley’s concerns, Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena confirmed that teams had been dispatched to investigate the Craigavon outages.

“Our team was on the ground and confirmed a cable fault. Due to the rain, repairs were delayed.”

Power supply to the affected Craigavon suburbs has since been restored.

Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration!