Raslouw residents frustrated by persistent power outages
Residents are disheartened with the reoccurring outages that continue to affect their daily lives.
Residents of Raslouw in Centurion have faced a prolonged power outage that lasted 14 hours – and the rainfall did not make repair work any easier for technicians.
The outage is reported to have begun around 21:00 last night, leaving many in the community frustrated.
This as power outages have become a recurring issue since the start of the new year nine days ago.
Addressing the ongoing power challenges, Ward 70 councillor Marika Kruger-Muller said that while the outages are frequent, they are not caused by a singular issue.
“The first outage that affected Raslouw and Eldoraigne Extension 67 began on January 1, but power was restored the same day around 21:00.”
She said another outage followed on January 7, due to burnt wires on a pole, which led to the isolation of the line for repairs, and power was restored around 18:30 the same day.
Entire Raslouw area in Centurion West is without power since early this morning.@CityTshwane @kholofeloMorodi @nasiphim
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) January 7, 2025
“On January 8, further outages were reported in Baard Street.
“The outages were caused by cables that were cut on a pole, which resulted in power loss across the entire Raslouw area later in the evening.”
She added that power was ultimately restored this morning around 11:00.
Kruger-Muller raised concerns about the interconnectedness of power lines which affects multiple areas, particularly Raslouw East and West.
“As multiple areas appear to be fed from the same lines, even minor faults can cause widespread outages.”
She emphasised the urgent need for an investigation into the current network configuration and improvements in isolation protocols during repairs to prevent large-scale power loss from localised issues.
Jade Pelger, a resident in Baard Street, expressed her frustration.
“Since the year began, my house has only had two days of power.”
Pelger recalled previous outages on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, which also caused significant disruptions to her family’s daily lives.
“These power outages cause major problems for us because I don’t have enough money to instal solar power,” she said.
She explained that the outages have led to spoilt food, disrupted school routines for her children, and a lack of hot water for bathing.
“I recently had to join the gym just to have access to a hot shower. We also rely on takeaways and bread for meals at home during this time,” Pelger added.
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, shared similar sentiments.
“I work from home, so not having power is a major problem because I end up not being able to work, leading to financial losses.”
He pointed out that the outages disrupt daily household chores, such as washing, and added that when one area experiences power issues, it affects the entire Raslouw and parts of Eldoraigne.
“These outages occur even when there are no issues in certain areas,” he said.
The resident expressed his concern that these issues have persisted since November last year.
He believed that some of these problems are not properly and quickly addressed due to the coalition government in Tshwane, which prioritises larger issues over local concerns.
Reporting power outages is essential to the consumer & the City. When you report an outage, it is recorded on the outage management system. This is essential for consumers as they are able to trace the status of the outage through the reference number they receive when reporting. pic.twitter.com/rSnWuNT2rU
— City of Tshwane (@CityTshwane) January 4, 2025
Also read: Emergency repairs cause power shutdown across the city
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