Wychwood residents fear festive season power outages

Wychwood residents are growing increasingly anxious as ongoing electricity disruptions raise their fears that they may once again spend Christmas in the dark.

Many still remember the frustration and distress of last year’s outages, which left several homes without power for days during the festive season. Now, with repeated faults and unstable supply in recent weeks, the community is worried that history may repeat itself.

Wychwood residents say they have been reporting power issues for months, but solutions have been slow. Ageing infrastructure, long repair times, and the lack of clear communication with the municipality have deepened concerns as the busiest holiday period approaches.

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Germiston City News visited one of the most affected residents, Lambano Sanctuary, a well-known hospice and care facility for critically ill children.

The home relies on consistent electricity to operate life-supporting medical equipment, refrigeration for medication, heating, and basic care functions.

While domestic households can sometimes manage with alternative power sources or temporary solutions, facilities like Lambano cannot rely on candles, gas, or generators for extended periods.

Staff members said the frequent outages not only disrupt care but also place vulnerable children at risk.

“We cannot afford another year like the last one. Power cuts force us into emergency mode, and the children cannot endure long periods without electricity. It’s emotionally and physically draining for everyone.

“Working in the dark in our environment is frustrating. Also, the equipment we use doesn’t have long hours of backup power,” said the nursing staff.

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Lynn Croote, executive director of Lambano Sanctuary, said they have been frustrated for months as they are spending money they don’t have.

“We have to make a plan to keep the home running. We hire a solar system that costs R15 000 a month because it’s too expensive to install our own. We have a generator that still cannot run for hours, and it uses gas.

“That is money we can channel to other needs for the home, but because power is a matter of life and death, we don’t want to take chances. It has been stressful because we are always worried due to being without power. We still ensure our municipal bills are up to date,” said Croote.

Residents highlighted that generators are expensive to run, and fuel costs have surged, putting additional strain on their pockets.

The community of Wychwood is calling on the municipality to prioritise their electrical infrastructure and communicate transparently about planned maintenance, repair delays, and long-term solutions.

“Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and peace. But instead, we are counting down to possible darkness. Our biggest fear is buying meat in bulk in preparation for the festive season, only to end up with no fridge and wasting money.

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We now end up spending more money in this tough economy,” said residents.

The community is urging immediate intervention to ensure stability before the festive season begins.

Residents say they are hopeful but growing impatient, as they await assurances that Wychwood will not face another holiday overshadowed by power failures.

An enquiry was sent to the city about the contingency plan for the power outages in Wychwood. No comment was received at the time of going to print.