The Steve Tshwete Local Municipality is currently experiencing a technical failure that has taken its primary communication network offline.

In a bulk SMS sent to residents today (August 12), the municipality alerted the public that its 24-hour call centre, fire and rescue services, and main switchboard are temporarily unreachable.

To ensure essential services remain accessible, the municipality established temporary lines.

“Residents who require immediate emergency assistance from fire and rescue should call 013 243 2222. For general municipal issues and service delivery complaints, residents can call 013 249 7344, 013 249 7348, or 013 249 7349, or send a WhatsApp to 064 915 2361,” the message read.

The message also emphasised that anyone submitting a complaint must include their full name, physical address, and a clear description of the problem to help field teams respond quickly.

Acting municipal spokesperson Sibusiso Chauke confirmed that technical officials are actively assessing the physical damage caused by recent severe winds and storms, noting that repairs are underway.

While storm damage has also left multiple areas without power, the municipality has not yet provided an estimated time of restoration.

Repair timelines are being evaluated alongside field technician leads, and further operational updates will be released as damage assessments are completed.