COLDSTREAM – Residents of Die Rye, located in Coldstream near Tsitsikamma, have voiced growing frustration and concern over a prolonged electricity outage that has left the community without power since severe storms damaged the electrical infrastructure in May.

Resident Sharonick Wogane said that electrical poles and power lines were damaged when trees fell onto the infrastructure during the storm.

She said that weeks later, affected households were still waiting for electricity to be restored, with no clear indication of when repairs would be completed.

Wogane further said that the community had repeatedly been given assurances from the Kou-Kamma Municipality that power would be restored, only for those commitments not to materialise.

“Residents have been left without electricity for an extended period, with little communication and no clear indication of when the situation will be resolved,” said Wogane.

She alleged that on 21 May, former Kou-Kamma Municipality Mayor, Sam Vuso, visited the area and reportedly assured residents that repairs would be completed within three to five days.

However, Wogane said this promise was not fulfilled.

She said that further frustration followed when an unsigned notice, which circulated on 5 June, indicated that work would commence on 9 June.

Wogane said that they waited in good faith, but when the date arrived, a different explanation was provided, and no firm commitment was made regarding the restoration of electricity.

Resident Andrew Pedro also raised concerns about what he described as a lack of meaningful engagement from authorities.

“No public meeting has been held, no official communication has been directed to affected households, and no clear recovery plan has been presented,” said Pedro.

He further said that communication from the municipality had largely taken place through the Coldstream stakeholders’ committee via a community WhatsApp group rather than directly with affected households.

Pedro alleged that when concerns were raised, some committee members responded in a rude, dismissive or arrogant manner, contributing to tensions within the community.

He said that the prolonged outage had also had a significant impact on daily life, particularly for senior residents and those dependent on chronic medication that requires refrigeration or regular access to communication and healthcare services.

Wogane said that families had struggled to preserve food, charge devices, maintain security and carry out normal daily activities.

She said residents felt abandoned and unheard.

“We are not asking for special treatment; we are simply asking for honest communication, accountability, and the restoration of a basic service that is essential to our health, safety, and well-being,” said Wogane.

She said that the ongoing situation affected rights protected by the Constitution, including the rights to human dignity, healthcare services and fair administrative action.

Wogane also pointed to local government obligations to provide services sustainably and encourage community participation.

She further said that residents had shown patience throughout the ordeal but were becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress.

“The people of Die Rye have waited patiently for weeks. Our patience is running out, but our determination to have our voices heard remains strong,” said Wogane.

Technical Director, Mziwamadoda Qalaba, said that the Kou-Kamma Municipality wishes to inform the Coldstream community that a contractor has been appointed to commence bush clearing, tree felling and electrical restoration operations in the affected area.

He said that the purpose of this work is to create safe access for technical teams to repair the damage to electricity lines and infrastructure caused by recent adverse weather conditions.

“The clearing process is a critical first step towards restoring electricity supply to affected communities. Once access has been secured, the electrical contractor will commence the repairs,” said Qalaba.

He further said that the contractor would be working every day to restore power in the area.

“The municipality sincerely thanks the Die Rye community for their patience and understanding,” said Qalaba.

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