FIRGROVE – Customers in Firgrove and surrounding areas have been grappling with extensive power faults since Friday 10 October, with Eskom confirming that criminal activities and accidents are responsible for the interruptions.
As of Saturday 11 October, Eskom technicians have been working to restore supply following multiple faults. The power utility has managed to restore electricity to 90% of affected customers, with the remaining supply expected to be back online by 18:00 today.
The investigation revealed that the outage affecting the Sandvlei portion of the area was a result of two separate incidents: conductor theft and a contractor truck colliding with an Eskom conductor.
In a separate, ongoing incident, a portion of Kelderhof estate remains without supply, with technicians currently on site to investigate and resolve the fault.
Furthermore, technicians discovered vandalised infrastructure affecting the Huntsman complex in the Firgrove area.
Eskom strongly condemned these “acts of electricity theft and infrastructure vandalism,” stating that they severely undermine essential service delivery and compromise the reliability of the grid. These criminal acts also impose an “immense financial strain on Eskom, costing millions of rand in repairs,” and leave communities without power for extended periods.
In response to the persistent crime, Eskom leadership held a meeting with the local ward councillor Peter Helfrichand community leaders earlier this morning. The engagement, held under Eskom’s ‘Hands Off’ campaign, aimed to address the issue of vandalism and intensify efforts to safeguard the network against criminal activities.
Members of the public are encouraged to report any incidents or suspicious activity by contacting the Eskom Toll-Free Crime Hotline at 0800 11 27 22 or their local SAPS. Callers may remain anonymous.
Eskom expressed sincere appreciation for the patience and understanding of its customers and reaffirmed its commitment to restoring supply and protecting its infrastructure.
Customers who still need to report a fault are encouraged to use the MyEskom Customer App (available on iStore and Google Play), the Alfred Chatbot on the Eskom website, or log a fault via WhatsApp on 08600 37566. These digital platforms instantly provide a reference number to track progress on the fault.
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