Light at the end of the tunnel for Umdloti
The second new cable will enhance supply to the south side of Umdloti and is expected to be energised by the end of this week, just in time for Christmas.
There is light at the end of Umdloti’s dusky electricity tunnel as one of the two new 11kVA cables have finally been energised.
The line was connected and electrified last Tuesday morning at 3.45am under the watchful eye of Umdloti Beach Residents and Ratepayers Association (UBRRA) chairman Petrus Scholtz, who sacrificed a warm bed to ensure the work got done.
The leap forward in the town’s power struggle comes after the new cables lay idle for two months after installation had been completed.
UBRRA was left with no choice but to consider legal action against the eThekwini Municipality for its alleged contravention of various sections of the Local Government Municipal Systems Act and the Housing Act.
“This line will now allow for an electrical ring feed to North Beach Road, Bellamont Road and SALTA, significantly alleviating the load to these areas and adding a second supply should one fail,” said Scholtz.
The additional line is expected to provide a “far more stable electricity supply with considerably less unplanned outages,” said Umdloti Smart Village (USV) precinct manager Vicky Schnetler.
The second new cable will enhance supply to the south side of Umdloti and is expected to be energised by the end of this week, just in time for Christmas.
“We extend our thanks to the municipal team who have worked relentlessly to achieve this long awaited goal, to the community for your patience and to the Smart Village team who have worked tirelessly to get us to the finish line,” said Schnetler.
The activation of the cable comes as a huge relief to residents and local businesses as Umdloti has since January experienced more than 300 hours of power cuts unrelated to loadshedding.
The holiday town largely depends on the December festive trade to see them through the year and darkness was threatening to derail the first “normal” festive trade since before the Covid-19 lockdown.
Umdloti has missed out on three consecutive December holiday trades owing to lockdown, the July 2021 unrest, and the catastrophic floods last year.
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