Erasmia Library in Centurion is operating again after being without electricity for about three months, disrupting services for residents who rely on the facility for books, study space, computers and other essential resources.

The electricity supply was recently restored at the metro-owned library in Grey Street, Erasmia, after the prolonged shutdown left staff working without power and forced them to record loans and returns manually.

The disruption also affected residents who use the library to study and work.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed that power had been restored and said the facility had resumed operations. “The city welcomes the restoration of electricity and remains committed to ensuring continuity of services at the library.”

The reopening ends a difficult period for staff and library users.

During the outage, computers, scanners and other equipment could not be used normally, slowing down basic services such as borrowing and returning books.

A regular library user, who said he had used the facility for about seven years, described the impact of the outage. He said he frequently worked from the library during the week and initially believed the lack of electricity was a temporary interruption.

However, after discovering that surrounding businesses still had power, the resident said they were informed that the problem was linked to an issue between the metro and the landlord.

The prolonged disruption meant that the library could not function as it normally would. Students who depended on the facility as a study environment were also affected.

Mashigo said the metro had been making payments towards the account and that its most recent payment was made on August 5.

“The city remains committed to meeting its rental obligations in respect of Erasmia Library and will continue managing the account to support the uninterrupted operation of the facility,” he said.

The library operates from leased premises rather than a metro-owned building. This has placed the facility within the broader challenge of managing municipal services from rented properties.

According to Mashigo, the metro has a long-term strategy to reduce its reliance on leased office and library premises and make greater use of facilities owned by the municipality. However, he said there was no immediate plan to close or vacate Erasmia Library.

“The facility therefore remains part of the city’s service offering to the community,” Mashigo said.
He added that longer-term property requirements would be considered as part of the metro’s broader property optimisation strategy.

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok or WhatsApp Channel