450 Tshwane residents have had to endure prolonged power outages, lasting more than three days, according to Shakeela Bhaktawer, a Member in the Councillors Office of Ward 61. Adding to the severity of the situation, the City of Tshwane employees have initiated a strike, hindering any efforts to address the power outage.
“As long as there’s load-shedding, we’re going to be continuously having these problems. Currently, it’s just gotten worse because, in the region that we’re in, region 4, the employees from the City of Tshwane have embarked on a full-blown strike. Meaning that they’re preventing any services from coming to any of the areas.”
At the core of the numerous difficulties experienced by Tshwane residents lies the deterioration of essential infrastructure, including electricity, water, and sewage systems. Moreover, the efficiency of various departments has been adversely impacted due to budget cuts and a shortage of skilled personnel.
The Effect Developments, Informal Settlements, and Illegal Connections Have on the Grid
Besides the deteriorating infrastructure, another significant contributing factor is the burden placed on the electricity grid by informal settlements and illegal connections. Moreover, expanding new commercial and residential areas increases the utility demand, further straining the system.
A more sensible approach would be to prioritise upgrading the decaying infrastructure to accommodate the expansion of new developments and the influx of people rather than the reverse. As Bhaktawer points out, some wards have had to divert and supply electricity to others, resulting in more frequent outages in different areas.
“Every time there’s a power outage, there’s … Electricity supply which has been diverted to other areas … So when there’s an outage, and it affects certain parts [i.e. electricity being diverted] … Certain [areas] go off as well.”
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Ineffective Solutions
According to Bhaktawer, ward councillors have consistently contacted relevant stakeholders to raise awareness about their situation. However, the feedback received was unsatisfactory, as the proposed solutions were deemed effective only in the short term.
“It’s a situation where there’s a temporary solution, which is only there to make you feel content for a while. But thereafter, there seems to be a major problem which becomes bigger.”
Nonetheless, Bhaktawer reassures residents they have brought these challenges to the attention of the Mayor, the City Manager, and the Mayoral Committee. The matter is being treated with urgency, especially considering some residents are still experiencing electricity outages amid the city employees’ strike.
