GANSBAAI – The fires that have been raging in the Overberg recently have now also left residents of Gansbaai and Pearly Beach without electricity. And the bad news is that because of the fires, Eskom cannot solve the problem.
“Extensive damage to Eskom infrastructure has left large areas without electricity. Three Eskom teams were on-site today, supported by municipal digger loaders, working to restore power supply. Eskom has promised to provide updated restoration timelines later in the morning,” Dean O’ Neill, municipal manager said.
He further stated that the power outage has crippled several municipal operations, with internet and telephone lines at Gansbaai Municipal Offices offline.
“Cashier services and traffic registration processes cannot operate due to the inability to process transactions.”
According to the latest update from O’Neill, neither fire has been contained, with active fire-fighting operations continuing across multiple fronts.
“The De Kelders fire is burning across several locations, requiring coordinated efforts from multiple emergency services,” he said.
While the R43 Gansbaai-Stanford road remains open, authorities warn that conditions can change rapidly and urge motorists to exercise extreme caution.
He further indicated that on the Farm 722 Stanford side fire crews are actively attending to an ocean-side fire line along the road.
“In the Stanford mountain side, near Bella Vista, teams from Nature Conservation Corporation (NCC) and Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS) are working alongside landowners to combat the blaze. In the Grootbos area, Overstrand Municipality Fire Services, supported by Overberg District Municipality and local landowners, are tackling an active fire line in the popular nature reserve area,” he said.
At the Walker Bay Nature Reserve, along the R43 De Kelders route, CapeNature teams are conducting mopping-up operations on warm fire lines.
“The Masakhane fire has presented particular difficulties for fire crews, experiencing multiple flare-ups overnight with the potential for the fire to jump containment lines again,” O’ Neill said.
While the R43 Gansbaai-Stanford road remains open, authorities warn that conditions can change rapidly and urge motorists to exercise extreme caution.
The Overstrand Municipality has established emergency support services for affected residents and the municipal Electrical Department offices in Voortrekker Street, Gansbaai, next to BARC Animal Welfare, are serving as a community charging station during office hours.
Residents can charge phones and essential devices, access hot water, and receive assistance from staff. Officials ask residents to bring their own chargers and thermo flasks. For non-emergency service issues, residents can use the Overstrand Citizen App, while the municipal contact centre remains operational at 028 313 8000 and 028 313 8111.
Also read: Cape Winelands steps up fire readiness with newly trained protectors
