Elderly residents struggle to manage their daily lives without consistent electricity. This has become particularly urgent for those in need of medical treatment. Many are forced to infiltrate neighbors’ homes to charge their medical devices.
As power utility, Eskom, appears to neglect its responsibilities, residents feel abandoned in the face of extreme hardship. With promises unfulfilled, trust in the system is eroding. Residents demand transparency and accountability from their utility.
The ongoing power outages directly jeopardize the health and safety of community members. Elders dependent on medical devices are at significant risk of complications. An urgent resolution is needed to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable populations.
In an alarming situation, elderly residents in a local community are facing critical challenges due to ongoing electricity shortages. Since December 1, 2024, these residents have been without power, largely due to a malfunctioning transformer. The community, predominantly composed of elderly individuals and unemployed youth, is expressing frustration over the consistent electricity failures that have lasted for over eight months at a time previously. Residents report that they are forced to take their medication early, fearing that without power they won’t be able to inject themselves after dark. With age and health issues complicating their lives, the need for immediate resolution is dire. **Unresolved Power Shortages Bring Daily Struggles** The residents are deeply concerned as they recount how they had to struggle for months prior to this outage, often going six months without electricity before being able to pay for a new transformer installation. Even with payment, the promised improvements were short-lived, leading to a frustrating cycle of outages and financial strain. One resident lamented, "We have electricity but we live in the dark," emphasizing how crucial timely access to power is for those with medical needs. The ongoing struggle highlights a failure in the management of local power infrastructure, drawing attention to the need for better solutions to support vulnerable populations. **Community Calls for Action as Utility Blames Theft** Local power utility, Eskom, has attributed the high failure rate of the transformers to issues such as electricity theft and tampered meters. These issues have led them to impose stringent requirements on residents, such as having to repay debts before infrastructure can be repaired or replaced. Although the utility claims it is in the process of replacing failed infrastructure, the community is left wondering when they can expect relief. The inhabitants are living in precarious situations, with the heat and light in their homes directly affecting their quality of life and health. Their pleas for improvement grow louder as community living conditions continue to decline without the necessary resources to support health and well-being. **Frustration Grows Over Unmet Promises and Delayed Solutions** One resident expressed the futility of the situation, highlighting that they had just finished paying 65,000 after a previous transformer installation attempt, and now have been informed that they need to pay an additional 72,000 to install another transformer. Such financial burdens are almost impossible for many in the impoverished community, especially as they navigate extreme hardship day by day. There is increasing worry about what steps will be taken next and how long they will have to endure life without basic utilities. As the power utility remains largely unresponsive to the immediate calls for help, residents are adamant that their situation needs urgent attention before more residents, particularly seniors, are adversely affected.We always pray our transformer not to stop working,we will be in the same problem
Aah those who steal once again causing havoc for the few law abiding citizens. Well stand up those lawful people and shame those causi g the problem.
