About 30 people remain without electricity at a provincial rental property in Surrey Estate, Athlone, as an electricity crisis drags on for yet another winter.

The Fortune family has lived at 104 Taurus Road since 1957. The property belongs to the Western Cape Government (WCG) and forms part of its rental housing stock.

Today, about 30 people, including family members and backyard residents, live on the property. Four toddlers, aged between one and four, are among them, underscoring the human impact of the ongoing electricity crisis.

For Victor Steyn (64), each day begins at about 06:00 with heating water over an open flame for washing, cooking and bathing. By 08:00, the household must be ready for the day.

“Sometimes you strip in the cold because you don’t want your clothes to smell like smoke while preparing the water,” says Steyn.

Fire and conflicting accounts

The family’s hardship began after a fire damaged the home. The family says the fire broke out on Sunday 26 May. The Western Cape Department of Human Settlements referred to it as a June 2024 fire in previous public statements. Many see this dispute as part of the broader crisis over the lack of electricity at the property.

The family believes an electrical fault caused the blaze. The department, however, maintains that an open flame started the fire. Residents dispute this claim.

The fire destroyed the family’s belongings and left the property without electricity. They endured the winters of 2024 and 2025 without power and are now facing a third winter in the same conditions.

Living conditions take their toll

Trudy Fortune (55), the eldest daughter of the late leaseholder Bernie Fortune, works two days a week as a domestic worker, trying to survive the challenges of being without electricity.

“We are living in poor and dire conditions,” she says, referencing both the daily difficulties and the impact of the prolonged power cut on their quality of life.

Her two brothers, who are also children of the late Fortune, are unemployed.

The family says the four toddlers regularly visit a clinic for chest infections and colds. They believe smoke from the open fires and poor living conditions contribute to the children’s recurring illnesses, compounded by their lack of alternatives due to the prolonged electricity outage.

Waiting for answers

Steyn says the family met officials from the Department of Human Settlements at its Wale Street offices on Wednesday 6 August last year, in hopes of finding answers.

He says they expected a written response and a clear plan to repair the property but are still waiting for any progress to address the electricity crisis they face daily.

For Steyn, the issue is no longer only about the fire. It is about the prolonged wait for a safe home, electricity and proper sanitation. Every morning, the family still relies on an open fire to heat water and cook meals. The family wants clarity on the outcome of the fire investigation, a timetable for repairs and suitable temporary accommodation while work is carried out.

The Western Cape Government was asked to respond to the family’s account, the delay in repairing the property, the continued lack of electricity and the request for temporary accommodation. It had not responded by the time of publication, leaving the Surrey Estate electricity crisis unresolved.

Ward 46 councillor Aslam Cassiem said he could only comment after receiving information from the relevant City departments. He undertook to respond once that information became available. No further response had been received by the time of publication.

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