Electricity crisis: Palmietfontein residents demand action from Eskom
It is believed that outages in Palmietfontein, Myngenoegen and parts of Dalmada are due to load reduction remotely controlled from Emalahleni in Mpumalanga.
POLOKWANE – Residents of Palmietfontein, Myngenoegen and parts of Dalmada have endured ongoing electricity challenges since May 22 last year, when a transformer in the area was vandalised and caught fire.
The situation without electricity has disrupted daily life, affecting early morning preparations for school and work, as well as essential appliances like geysers, gate motors, kettles and stoves.
As a temporary solution, Eskom connected the affected areas to a nearby transformer serving other communities, however, during peak hours – early morning and evening – this led to overloading and frequent power trips, often leaving residents without electricity until repairs could be made.
This situation persisted until December.
Last month, residents noticed a pattern of power cuts between 05:00-07:00 and 17:00-19:00, though no official communication was provided.
It is believed that the outages are due to load reduction measures remotely controlled from Emalahleni in Mpumalanga.
For Palmietfontein resident Charleen de Jager, the outages have been costly. Despite spending R8 000-R10 000 monthly on electricity and municipal costs, her family has not seen a reduction in billing despite the power cuts.
The electricity supply issues have also affected their water access, which relies on an electric pump. Additionally, unannounced outages have damaged household appliances, including a washing machine, a refrigerator and gate motors in multiple homes.
Seeking solutions, DA Polokwane caucus leader Jacques Joubert met with residents and also wrote to Eskom’s Limpopo and Mpumalanga general manager, requesting a meeting.
Discussions revealed that replacing the transformer would cost approximately R6m and require enhanced security to prevent further theft.
There are indications that Eskom is hesitant to replace the substation due to concerns over repeat incidents. In his letter, Joubert acknowledged Eskom’s challenges but stressed the community’s willingness to collaborate on a solution.
On Monday, Eskom spokesperson Matshidiso Phaladi confirmed that the issue was under technical review but had not provided further updates by the time of publication.
