POLOKWANE – Several suburbs in Polokwane will remain without electricity for up to five hours after an 11kV switchgear at the Laboria Substation exploded this morning (December 1), forcing an emergency shutdown.

The Polokwane Municipality confirmed that the incident required technicians to immediately cut power to prevent further damage and ensure public safety while emergency repair work is carried out.

The municipal spokesperson Thipa Selala said the power outage has affected multiple suburbs, including:

• Emdo Park

• Extension 29

• Futura

• Laboria

• Lesedi Park

• Mahlako a Phahla

• Mahlasedi Park

• Portions of Ladanna

• Rethabile Gardens

Several key municipal service facilities have also been impacted, including the Water Treatment Plant, the Traffic and Licensing Centre, and the Fire and Rescue Department.

“Due to the outage, water supply to the above-mentioned areas will also be impacted,” Selala’s statement read.

He added that the Traffic and Licensing Centre is operating at limited capacity, with only driving licence card collections currently available.

For registrations and all other licensing services, residents are advised to use the Provincial Office at the corner of Rissik and Potgieter Street.