Stormy weather wreaked havoc in the Overstrand causing blackouts for days.
Hermanus residents were hot under the collar after they were without electricity from Tuesday 13 June. The electricity was turned on before 24:00 on Friday 16 June. Residents from Hermanus, Stanford and Gansbaai, as far as Pearly Beach were affected after pylons were blown over on Rotary Way and the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley.
On Wednesday the Overstrand Municipality released a statement saying that Eskom struggled to get all vehicles and equipment on the site as the area was waterlogged and difficult to navigate even with digger loaders.
“Work on repairing of the lines will continue tomorrow as the safety of the working team is of utmost importance. It is understood that Eskom would rather ensure that the electricity be restored safely in order to sustain the service than to push to restore a service that will fail again tomorrow. Although the municipality would like to see the service restored sooner rather than later, we understand the logic and support the decision,” the statement said.
On Friday 16 June at 16:30 the Mayor of the Overstrand Municipality Dr Annelie Rabie said that the Eskom team had completed work on the 66 kV Houw Hoek-Hermanus line.
“The power will be switched on from Caledon soon,” she stated. “We have also requested exemption from load shedding for tonight. Eskom will confirm by 18:00 if this request will be acceded to.”
But unfortunately the power was only switched on before midnight.
After some delay in the switching on of the power, Rabie said she spoke to Anton Bredell, the Minister of local government, environmental affairs and development planning and the regional head of Eskom about the delay. Clinton Lerm, councillor in charge of infrastructure and investment, also visited the site to hear what the delay was about. He said Eskom needed a cherry picker to release an F-clamp on one of the poles.
Just before midnight residents breathed a sigh of relief when electricity was turned on again.
Masizole Mnqasela, former Speaker of the Provincial Parliament, has strongly condemned government officials and senior politicians for disappearing while Hermanus faced one of its worst power crises it had faced in decades.
He said residents had to fend for themselves to survive one of the worst power crises the area had faced in recent times, and not one official from government had said a word.
“Many poor and vulnerable residents were at risk of losing their lives and there was no support from government officials and senior politicians.
“I cannot remember a time when the area has ever faced a worse power crisis than the one they are currently facing.”
Residents also had mixed feelings regarding the communication from the Overstrand Municipality to the residents. Some were very grateful for the feedback on WhatsApp groups and Facebook, but others felt the vulnerable residents were not informed at all.
“Not everyone has mobile phones or internet and were literally left in the dark,” one resident stated on Facebook.
But as Covid-19 has proven, difficult circumstances bring people together. OK in Onrus, Agrimark in Stanford, shops in Eastcliff and the municipality had also made charging points available especially for medical equipment and cellphones.
On Sunday Rabie and Deputy Mayor Lindile Ntsabo, together with officials from the department of human settlements and a disaster team, visited the flooded areas to assess the damage.
