For many residents across Table View and surrounding communities, last week’s severe storm surge brought more than heavy rain and damaging winds — it brought days of frustration, uncertainty and prolonged power outages.
Local ward councillor Sue van der Linde said residents were left without clear communication or realistic timelines from Eskom as homes, complexes and entire neighbourhoods sat without electricity for days.
According to Van der Linde, complaints flooded in during the two days of severe weather and in the days leading up to the storm.
“Every single complaint received was immediately escalated by me to the joint WhatsApp communication group between councillors and Eskom management,” she said.
“Unfortunately, despite repeated escalations, all that has been received in return has been generic, Eskom messaging apologising for delays, with very little meaningful feedback or direct communication to affected residents.
“This is simply not good enough.”
Van der Linde said some vulnerable residents, including senior citizens, were left without electricity for more than six days.
“Residents deserve clear communication, realistic timelines and urgent action during crises such as these,” she said.
“While we understand that severe weather places pressure on infrastructure and response teams, communities cannot simply be left without answers for days on end.”
Longstanding power frustrations
The latest outages are not isolated incidents. TygerBurger has reported numerous power outages affecting communities including Parklands, Table View and surrounding areas over recent years.
In 2024, residents voiced growing frustration after repeated outages disrupted homes, businesses and daily life for several days at a time.
At the time, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the City was investing R4 billion into upgrading its electricity grid in an effort to improve infrastructure and service delivery.
“This is not just about providing reliable power; it’s about fairness and equality among all Capetonians,” Hill-Lewis said previously.
Calls for City control over electricity supply
The City has repeatedly expressed its intention to eventually distribute electricity directly to all customers in Cape Town, including those currently supplied by Eskom.
Currently, around two thirds of Cape Town’s electricity customers are supplied directly by the City, while Eskom services the remaining third.
Discussions between the City and Eskom regarding the transfer of supply areas had reportedly reached an advanced stage before talks were halted.
The City previously stated that such a move could significantly improve reliability and service delivery for residents who have struggled with recurring outages for years.
Planned maintenance also drew anger
Earlier this year, residents in Table View, Rivergate Business Park and Parklands were left frustrated after Eskom implemented planned maintenance outages lasting up to 21 hours over several days in February.
At the time, many residents criticised the timing and duration of the outages, saying the interruptions severely affected work, schooling and daily routines.
Van der Linde said she has consistently attempted to improve communication between Eskom and residents by arranging public engagements and opportunities for direct interaction with Eskom leadership.
“I have organised Eskom pop-up engagements for residents, created opportunities for direct interaction with Eskom representatives, and even provided a platform at my Subcouncil for residents to raise concerns directly with Eskom leadership, the Deputy Minister of Electricity, and the City’s Mayco member for energy, Xanthea Limberg,” she said.
Despite these efforts, she believes residents are still being failed.
“Table View residents pay for services and deserve far better treatment than what they have experienced this week,” said Van der Linde.
“I will continue escalating these concerns and pushing for improved accountability, communication and response times from Eskom moving forward.”
At the time of publication, Eskom had not responded to TygerBurger’s questions and the publication was still awaiting feedback.
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