Power still off in some Isipingo areas

MANY households in Isipingo have been experiencing repeated electricity outages for weeks, affecting the residents’ quality of life and costing them thousands of rands in unplanned expenses.

Also read: Circuit trip at major substation leaves Durban without electricity

Outages have been experienced in Lotus Park and Orient Hills since September 16, and have continued until the end of the month despite repairs by eThekwini Municipality’s Department of Electricity. The affected places were Phases 1, 2 and 3, including Auracaria Place, Plumeria Place, Stork Place and Swift Crescent. The reasons given for the blackouts were that circuits had tripped at the Isipingo major substation and that an underground cable was damaged.

Kavisha Moodley, who was visiting Lotus Park, said she did not enjoy her holiday because it coincided with a bitter cold spell and there was no power for the electrical heater.

“There was no way we could keep warm. We ended up having to buy candles and spend even more on takeaway food,” said Moodley.

Ward 90 councillor Shad Nowbuth said it was unacceptable that so many community members should be inconvenienced regularly with power outages.

“This matter has been raised with the relevant authorities on several occasions to find a meaningful and lasting solution to the problem,” said Nowbuth.

At the time of publishing, Nowbuth said that power had been restored to some households, but a new fault had been discovered near the old transit campsite across from the M35.

“In the interim, efforts are in place to provide power on a rotational basis to avoid further overloads to customers connected to the line from Isipingo Major substation,” he said.

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