Residents in several areas of Ward 51 in Kariega remain without electricity more than 10 days after severe infrastructure damage caused widespread outages, according to Ward 51 councillor Roelf Basson.
In a statement issued yesterday, Basson said repairs are currently being carried out mainly by a single municipal team, assisted by one contractor, which has slowed progress due to the extent of the damage and the delicate nature of the work.
“Safety remains the highest priority,” Basson said, adding that the municipality is engaging with Electricity Management in Gqeberha to secure additional teams and resources in an effort to accelerate the restoration process.
According to Basson, most streets that experienced total outages have now had power restored, with only two or three streets still completely without electricity. However, many of the remaining issues involve isolated outages affecting only a few households per street.
Basson said these cases would only be attended to once repair teams reach them in sequence, but confirmed that the matter has been escalated to the Senior Director in Gqeberha to ensure affected households receive urgent attention.
Some residents have now been without electricity for more than 10 days, which is completely unacceptable.
Basson also acknowledged frustrations among residents, noting that the lack of formal progress reports has made it difficult to provide accurate timelines or daily updates. He said most of the information being received comes from site visits and direct discussions with electricians working in affected areas.
“We are not in direct control of the repair operations, although we continue to apply pressure at every level,” he said.
He further highlighted the impact the prolonged outages have had on residents, including food spoilage, equipment damage and disruption to daily life.
“Electricity is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity,” Basson said.
He added that assistance would be provided to residents wishing to submit claims to the municipality for damages suffered as a result of the outages, where applicable.
Basson also acknowledged the efforts of electricians and repair teams working under difficult conditions, saying they too are under significant pressure.
“We remain committed to pushing for faster intervention and additional resources until all residents have their electricity fully restored,” he said.
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