Parts of Nelson Mandela Bay face 14-day power outage, pylon repairs could take months

Summerstrand Residents charge their phones at a home with an electricity supply. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)

By Estelle Ellis

24 Aug 2024

Four high-voltage pylons blown over by gale-force winds on Friday caused a widespread power outage in Nelson Mandela Bay that could, according to electricity officials, last up to 14 days. By Saturday, a team from Eskom was sent to the metro, which is currently being battered by storm surges. Electricity officials say the extra manpower will likely help shorten the outage by several days.

Gale-force winds battering the coastal areas of the Nelson Mandela Bay metro have caused havoc in the city. Four high-voltage electricity pylons have been downed, causing a widespread power outage that could last for up to two weeks.

A portion of the N2 highway running alongside the sea was also flooded as high waves caused by storm surges have been washing over the world-famous dolosse since Thursday.

Nelson Mandela Bay executive mayor Gary van Niekerk described the electricity outage as significant. Four 132kV overhead transmission tower powers collapsed, causing outages in at least four municipal wards.

These include popular tourist areas like Summerstrand and Nelson Mandela University, small coastal settlements like Schoenmakerskop, and several suburbs. The Forest Hill army base and two of the city’s biggest wastewater treatment works are also affected.

There are a number of old age homes in the areas and concerns have been raised that contingency plans will have to be put in place for the elderly needing ventilators and other breathing apparatus that need recharging.

At one of the city's old age homes, the Algoa Bay Council for the Aged asked for donations of braai wood so they could boil water for washing and cooking.

Humewood and Summerstrand also have a number of high-rise buildings.

Walmer Township, where violent incidents were recorded in the past while the power was off, also lost power. By 6pm on Saturday the electricity to the Walmer Police Station was restored.

Sean Tappan, the Chairman of Beachfront Safety Sector and the newly elected ward councillor for Ward 2, said he was also speaking to the police and the metro police for more regular patrols in his wards as there are fears that the power outage will provide cover for more crime.

He said they were also still trying to obtain clarity from the cellphone companies about keeping cellphone masts going as there are fears that the communication network might collapse if the power isn’t returned shortly. He said there were operational fuel stations but there were fears that the outage could spark panic buying in other parts of the city.

Disaster teams at work where four high-voltage pylons collapsed near Sardinia Bay, Nelson Mandela Bay. (Photo: Supplied)

Electricity officials said that they had visited the towers as part of their routine maintenance about two months ago. Due to their shocking condition, they were earmarked for urgent replacement within this financial year that started in July. The pylons were rusted badly, as they were standing in a spot close to the coast.

However serious, ongoing concerns have been raised about the lack of electrical infrastructure maintenance in the metro.

Van Niekerk said that because the structures had been compromised by rust, they succumbed to gale-force winds that have been battering the Nelson Mandela Bay coastline.

Van Niekerk was scheduled to accompany Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane on a trip to China from Friday, but has remained behind and said they would continue to assess the situation.

“I would like to plea with residents to remain calm and patient,” he said.

Zanele Mali, the mayoral committee member for electricity and energy, said the team managed to reestablish an electricity connection for the Humewood Police Station, the airport and the fire station last night. She said they have also called in electricity contractors to help and Eskom is also sending a team from the Western Cape to assist.

“We are on top of things,” she said. “We are treating this as a disaster.”

Bernard Tlali, the new executive director of the electricity department, said the department was doing everything it could to restore power to the affected neighbourhoods.

Executive Mayor Gary van Niekerk (middle), deputy mayor Babalwa Lobishe (left) and MMC for Electricity Zanele Mali at a briefing discussing the extent of the power crisis. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)

He said that after they had assessed the damage, it was estimated that it would take them 14 days to repair it. “But we said it was too much.”

He added that KwaFord would provide an extra transformer as a mitigating measure. Once installed, it would be able to provide some electricity.

“We were ready to do our maintenance,” he said referring to the collapsed pylons.

The acting senior director for electricity distribution, Tholi Biyela, said he has not been in the city or his post too long, but he visited these pylons in the past two months and had marked them as critical to replace.

There are 24 or 25 of these that need urgent replacement, he said.

Acting Executive Director for Infrastructure and Engineering Joseph Tsatsire said water provision from municipal sources was not affected by the outage, but the two big sewerage works, Cape Recife and Driftsands, were.

Long lines of people trying to buy gas in Gqeberha's Walmer Main Road on Saturday. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)

He said they will use generators at the water treatment works. He said the Department of Water and Sanitation has been informed of the outage.

While vandalism caused a similar incident in Tswane, Biyela said they didn’t find any signs of it but couldn’t rule it out, even though other electricity structures have been vandalised.

While residents rallied to get supplies to try and weather the outage, Leon Goliath, shared his beer with others while waiting to refill their gas bottles.

“South Africans know how to stand together in a crisis. Sport and electricity is what holds us together,” he said.

Residents waited for hours to refill gas bottles, and at the gas shops, the phones rang nonstop from those who wanted to buy gas stoves. There were also traffic jams at stores renting out generators.

Summerstrand residents charging their phones at the house of Michael Straton from Straton Electrical. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)

In Summerstrand Michael Straton from Straton Electrical, whose house is off the grid,” set out charging cables and a table for neighbours who wanted to charge their phones.

“I do what I can,” he said. “It is a crisis we all have to help.”

Eastern Cape Department of Health spokesperson Mkhululi Ndamase said one of the state hospitals, the Elizabeth Donkin Psychiatric Hospital, was in the zone suffering the outage, but a generator was on site.

Adriaan Jordaan, the regional manager for Life Healthcare’s Coast West region, said neither of their hospitals, though close to the area of the outage, were affected.

“Life St George's Hospital and Life Hunterscraig Private Hospital were not affected by the power outage in Gqeberha. All Life Healthcare hospitals have backup generator power should they be affected by any power outages,” he said. DM

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