Strubens Valley pensioner faces R500 daily toll to power critical oxygen machine

A 70-year-old Strubens Valley resident who relies on an oxygen machine to support his breathing has called for urgent action to address prolonged power outages, saying electricity disruptions have become a costly and worrying daily challenge.

Trevor Lloyd uses two oxygen systems. A plug-in oxygen concentrator runs day and night, while a portable unit provides about four to five hours of oxygen when fully charged.

However, when electricity outages continue for extended periods, Lloyd is forced to rely on alternative measures to keep his equipment operating.

He said the effects of an interruption can be felt quickly, with dizziness being a warning sign that his oxygen levels are dropping.

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“When there is power, it is fine because it is always there. But if I use it at night and the battery runs down, then for the rest of the time I have to wait for power again,” Lloyd said.

During prolonged outages, Lloyd and his family use a generator to power his oxygen machine. The family estimates that this costs about R500 a day in fuel and other running expenses.

They also purchase additional oxygen cylinders when the outage lasts longer than their backup systems can manage. Lloyd said a cylinder costs about R300 and may last only one night, with the additional expenses placing further pressure on the family.

“If I do not have power, I will use my resources to try and keep going as long as I can,” he said. “But if it is a prolonged outage of power, then it costs us a hell of a lot of money.”

Escalating costs and municipal frustration

Lloyd said he has not lodged a formal complaint with the municipality, citing frustration with previous experiences of reporting electricity faults.

“You keep logging faults, and then they tell you the fault has been corrected, but we still do not have electricity,” he said.

His main appeal is for the municipality and City Power to address the infrastructure problems behind the repeated outages and ensure a more reliable electricity supply.

“The municipality helping me would be to please keep the electricity on,” Lloyd said. “Please fix the infrastructure so that power does not go off.”

He suggested that emergency generators be deployed to affected areas when outages cannot be resolved quickly, particularly when interruptions continue for more than a day.

Lloyd also appealed for assistance with some of the additional expenses residents incur when electricity cannot be supplied, asking if they could give him ‘some kickback on all my expenses’ when they cannot supply power.

He said the outages appear to affect only a small number of streets in the area, while surrounding properties often regain electricity sooner.

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City Power response to infrastructure challenges

City Power said frequent outages are mainly attributed to ageing network infrastructure, which is increasingly vulnerable to faults. Moisture ingress and damp conditions can also contribute to cable faults, particularly during wet weather.

According to City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena, technical teams investigate reported faults and test the network to identify affected sections. Where technically possible, electricity can be restored by backfeeding affected areas from healthy distributors while repairs are carried out.

Mangena said residents who rely on electricity-powered medical equipment, including oxygen concentrators, should report outages immediately and clearly indicate that the household includes a medically vulnerable person dependent on critical equipment.

Although City Power does not currently have a specific registration process guaranteeing priority restoration for medically vulnerable customers, the utility said such calls are prioritised by its operations team, particularly when critical medical equipment is involved.

Residents are encouraged to provide their contact details, physical address, meter or account information where available, and explain the medical circumstances when reporting an outage.

Mangena also advised residents who depend on essential medical equipment to establish an emergency backup plan, where possible, in consultation with their healthcare provider or medical equipment supplier.

For Lloyd, however, the issue remains urgent: Every prolonged outage means finding another way to keep his oxygen equipment running, adding significant financial pressure to an already difficult situation.