Western Cape residents face challenges in power restoration after floods
The severe weather that affected the Western Cape led to 200 major trips on their network, with a total of 9 000 faults subsequently reported.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers
Residents in the Western Cape are working to rebuild following a devastating storm, with the provincial government reporting that progress is being made in mop-up operations and the restoration of essential services.
Eskom reported that the two severe weather events that affected the Western Cape led to 200 major trips on their network, with a total of 9 000 faults subsequently reported.
Currently, approximately 70% of all faults have been restored, but the remaining approximately 30% present significant challenges due to areas still submerged under floodwater, high-voltage pylons destroyed in difficult-to-reach mountain areas, and secondary lines where routes need to be completely redesigned after the original infrastructure was destroyed during the floods.
Western Cape MEC for Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, said Eskom and all stakeholders are working around the clock to repair essential infrastructure as quickly as possible.
“As soon as power is restored in one area, Eskom redirects those resources to other communities in need. We understand that some communities have been without electricity for almost two weeks and that people are frustrated. We ask the public to remain patient and to support officials who have been working under extremely difficult conditions to restore power across the province,” Bredell said.
The Department of Infrastructure reported that a total of 400 roads across the province were affected, and that 61% of these have so far been restored. The Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning has also issued 56 Section 30A approvals to enable emergency construction work in areas that would normally require formal environmental authorisation processes.
The Department of Social Development reported that humanitarian relief efforts, in partnership with non-governmental organisations, are continuing across the province where needed.