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No end in sight for power outage in Alphen Park and Ashlea Gardens, residents growing impatient

Residents face financial losses and safety concerns. The metro assured the public that it was attending to the problem, but the location of the cable theft is making the work precarious.

A two-day power outage has left residents of Alphen Park and Ashlea Gardens frustrated and concerned.

The power outage was due to cable theft and vandalism on Saturday evening and has affected residents and their businesses.

According to Tshwane, the repair work will not be completed soon as the replacement of cables needs to be done underneath the N1 highway, thus making the task at hand intricate.

According to a resident from Ashlea Gardens, Darius Zeederberg the power outage started on Saturday and has been ongoing with no clear end in sight.

“This is frustrating for me and costing me a lot of money,” Zeederberg said, who is the owner of a complex in the area.

“Residents in my complex are getting worried and threatening to move out.”

He said the outage was a challenge for his business.

Zeederberg said the power outage is not only affecting his business but also his personal life.

“I work late hours and need power to function. This outage is crippling my ability to work effectively.”

Zeederberg also mentioned that their frozen foods were at a point of decay.

He stated that the outage was costing him financially, as he had to transport the food to an alternative accommodation.

“I had to pay for alternative accommodation for me and my resident’s food,” he said.

Another resident, Emile van der Merwe in Waterkloof Park from the east of Pretoria said due to no power, food was rotting in the fridge.

“I arrived home and all my food in the fridge was off.”

Ward 82 councillor Siobhan Muller said the power outage was affecting Alphen Park, Waterkloof Park and Ashlea Gardens.

She stated that the repair team is facing challenges due to hazardous chemicals and insufficient oxygen levels in the tunnel where the cables were stolen.

“According to the electricity department, it’s unsafe for the team to work inside the tunnel due to hazardous chemicals and insufficient oxygen levels.”

Muller added that engineers were trying to find the second manhole on the line and are trying to get plans from Sanral to attend to the restoration of power.

She said once the manhole was identified, the tunnel air would be cleared, and the repair team could start their work.

Muller estimated that about 300m of 450MV cable was stolen.

“How this was not seen is unknown.”

Muller added that they are doing everything possible to get the lights back on.

According to the Tshwane’s X page, the Tshwane emergency services and electricity team are currently on site, attending to the Ashlea Gardens and Alphen Park cable theft incident.

“Electricity and Emergency Services (EMS) departments are on-site where criminals stripped cables that led to a blackout in Pretoria east.”

The post reads that EMS is busy with tests aimed at evaluating safety measures to determine air quality in the tunnel.

“The deployed teams will also scan for any existence of other underground utilities like sewer pipes or any other lines that could potentially cause accidents.”

Tshwane metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the power outage in the suburbs had left the metro with the need to complete complex work to ensure restoration.

“The location of the site is underneath the N1 highway, thus making the task at hand intricate.

To date, progress made includes the identification of the multiple faults on the network and isolating them.”

Mashigo said the Tshwane EMS department was further conducting a risk assessment to determine the safety of repair workers.

Tshwane EMS department and electricity department on site. Image: X

“Adherence to safety measures is a must when installing and maintaining cables to protect the team on site, the public and the environment against any potential hazard.”

Mashigo said the metro would attempt to complete the repair work hastily; however, “the area to be worked on demands caution. Residents are therefore informed that it will take longer to complete the repair work”.

He said the estimated time of restoration was yet to be determined and would be communicated in due course.

Also Read: Return of power in Ashlea Gardens, Alphen Park to take time

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Reitumetse Mahope

Reitumetse Mahope is a seasoned journalist overseeing digital content at Rekord. With close to a decade of experience in field reporting, Mahope captures compelling stories that inform, educate, and inspire. His expertise spans from hard news to heartwarming features, making him a valuable asset to the team.
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