About 50 Kaalfontein Extension 4 households face severe daily disruptions after living without electricity for five months.

The Knife Jaw Street residents, who live next to the local taxi rank in Ward 92, are calling on Eskom to replace the faulty transformer and accelerate the normalisation of electricity connections, including the installation of smart meters.

The prolonged outage has disrupted their daily routines, while alleged repeated engagements with Eskom officials have yet to result in power restoration.

Resident Bayanda Hector claimed the outage had forced households to throw away food and left some residents frustrated over a request allegedly made by Eskom to contribute money towards purchasing a replacement transformer.

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Hector alleged an Eskom official provided residents with bank details and informed them that specific payments for households with fines were required. He said residents were acting out of desperation to have their electricity restored.

Residents said they understood that electricity infrastructure needed to be repaired, but wanted clarity on the process and a firm timeline for resolving the problem.

They also believe that the replacement of the transformer should be accompanied by the installation of smart meters, arguing that unresolved problems with existing electricity boxes could lead to further disruptions.

One resident said community members were informed that more than 50% of households needed to pay the fines before work on a new transformer could proceed. According to the resident, contributions had reportedly reached about 60%.

Hector added that the lack of electricity had affected his ability to pursue opportunities, forcing him to visit restaurants to complete job applications. “With the electricity being out for five months, I had to go to a restaurant to do my applications, so I am missing out on a lot of opportunities because they have not solved this problem,” says Hector.

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Residents said they had engaged Ward 92 councillor Charmaine Ngoepe and included her in their community communication group. However, they expressed disappointment that their concerns had not yet resulted in a solution.

They said they wanted the councillor and Eskom to provide clarity on the next steps and help ensure that the transformer and meters were addressed.

Resident Silena Mkhabela said her matric learner wrote preliminary examinations while studying by candlelight and is now preparing for the final examinations. “I have a child who is doing matric. They wrote prelims studying with a candle. Come tomorrow, when my child fails, it won’t be Eskom’s fault but hers,” says Mkhabela.

She questioned how learners were expected to prepare adequately for their examinations without electricity, stating that the situation was placing additional pressure on children during a crucial stage of their education.

Mkhabela also alleged that two houses had caught fire after residents used candles during the outage. “We are tired. We attended a lot of meetings, speaking with Eskom officials who referred us to other people. We are tired; we seek help,” she says.

Residents said they wanted Eskom to prioritise the installation of smart meters and the replacement of the transformer so that households could return to normal daily routines.

Midrand Reporter sent enquiries to Eskom and Ngoepe on October 11 regarding the reported payment arrangements, the status of the transformer replacement and smart meter, and the timeline for restoring electricity. Their response will be included as soon as it is received.

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