Eskom launches awareness campaign ahead of winter
As winter approaches, Eskom in Gauteng officially launched its Winter Safety Campaign in Ivory Park to raise awareness about the safe and efficient use of electricity.
With winter fast approaching, Eskom Gauteng officially launched its winter safety campaign in Ivory Park on April 8.
The campaign aims to raise awareness about the safe and efficient use of electricity during the colder months, a time when the power grid is most vulnerable to overloads due to increased demand and illegal connections.
The event, held at Lord Khanyile Community Hall, brought together Eskom representatives and residents for an important conversation about energy use, safety, and the impact of unlawful electricity connections.
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“Each winter, we face a surge in transformer overloads and failures,” said Mashangu Xivambu, Eskom’s senior manager for maintenance and operations in Gauteng.
“These are often caused by illegal connections, meter tampering, and unauthorised operations on the network. Such actions not only disrupt the power supply but also endanger lives, especially those of children and cause property damage.”
Xivambu highlighted that Ivory Park is one of the hardest-hit areas during winter, with transformers frequently failing due to overuse and illegal access.
“We are spending millions of rands annually to replace and repair these damaged transformers,” he explained.
“This derails our progress and places a strain on our resources. We are appealing to the community to work with us to protect infrastructure and avoid illegal connections, so everyone can enjoy a reliable electricity supply during the winter months.”
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He added that Eskom’s goal is to deliver power efficiently while maintaining a good relationship with the community. But this is only possible if residents use electricity legally and responsibly.
Eskom has introduced strict penalties for tampering with transformers.
Offenders will face a fine of R6 050 before any repairs or replacements are made.
“Currently, there are about 10 transformers in Ivory Park that remain unrepaired because the fines have not been settled,” said Xivambu.
“We cannot proceed with any work until these issues are resolved.”
To strengthen oversight, Eskom has introduced smart meter boxes, which allow the utility to detect tampering or non-payment in real time.
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“The smart meters have been a game changer. They provide clear insight into which customers are attempting to bypass the system or not paying for electricity,” Xivambu added.
So far, Eskom has repaired 25 of the 35 transformers in Ivory Park.
However, officials remain concerned that, without community cooperation, the remaining cold months could again strain the infrastructure, potentially resulting in blackouts.
Through continued engagement, education, and enforcement, Eskom hopes to reduce these risks and encourage responsible electricity use across all households.
“If we work together Eskom and the community we can ensure that everyone stays warm and safe this winter,” concluded Xivambu.
