The Gauteng province has no contingency plan to provide emergency services should there be a national power blackout. In light of these revelations, Pretoria residents are not sure about what they will do in the event of a blackout which, according to experts, can be expected to last about 2-3 weeks before supply can be restored to normality.
According to the Democratic Alliance‘s Chief Whip in the provincial legislature, Mike Moriatey, in the event of a national blackout there would be a virtual breakdown of all services such as health, education, traffic management and emergency services such as fire and ambulances. “Moreover, water supply will fail and fuel supplies would completely dry up, with a devastating effect on supply of all goods. There is also a widespread risk of lawlessness.”
“I am not sure as to what I will do if, and when, such a thing happens. As it is I have no backup plan for the daily load shedding that we are experiencing. I am not a gas or paraffin fan because I consider them to be dangerous for me and my family,” said Nothando Ziqubu from the city centre.
Another resident, Saffia Oliphant from Eersterust said people had no option but to stock up on alternative power sources or even consider installing solar systems. “But this is easier said than done because we are all aware that not everyone can afford to pay for the electricity they use on a monthly basis.”
For Grace Sigauke-Gambiza, it is all about how her children will lose out at school. “If there is a national blackout as they predict, I am sure families will make a plan to survive. What I am not sure about is how our children will fare at school because the technology they use for teaching and learning require power and most schools do not have generators. That said, I think the place will be ungovernable,” she said.
In his response to DA questions for oral reply, David Makhura, the premier of Gauteng, said while the threat of a national energy shutdown would be disastrous, the provincial government only had some contingency capabilities which would fall far short. “This is a clear indication that the Premier has not considered the prospect of a national blackout in any way. He also does not see his government as being responsible to coordinate all disaster recovery efforts, irrespective of whether the service providers were local, provincial or national,” Moriatey said.
The premier stated that emergency services had backup generator capacity but could not say how much fuel reserves were on hand. He said they are ‘waiting’ for municipalities to submit plans, which he has requested. “While the provincial government is planning to supplement the grid through the installation of rooftop solar panels, retro-fitted gas boilers and re-commissioning the Rooiwal, Pretoria West and Kelvin power stations, these plans are for the medium to long term and serve only to mitigate the possibility of a blackout – but it is not a plan to recover from such a disaster once it actually happens,” observed Moriatey. The DA urged the premier to coordinate with all municipalities and government departments to produce an effective contingency plan to ensure that Gauteng does not descend into chaos.
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