Eskom in KwaZulu-Natal reported widespread outages in Newcastle, Dundee, Estcourt, Ladysmith, Pietermaritzburg, and Margate due to severe rains and snowfall.
Extreme weather has caused fallen trees, damaged power lines, and blocked roads, trapping motorists in freezing snow since Friday.
The power utility stated that due to the significant number of defects, consumers may encounter delays in restoration, but that all faults will be addressed as quickly as possible.
“Technicians are on standby to attend to the faults once access is granted. Road closures restrict access. Eskom asks for patience from its customers because restoration may take longer than usual,” said Eskom spokesperson Joyce Zingoni.
Zingoni cautioned the public to stay away from damaged electrical infrastructure, avoid touching electrical appliances with wet hands, and do not attempt to remove fallen trees near power lines.
“When there is lightning, avoid coming into contact with water or plumbing, including sinks and baths. “Never use electric appliances or touch electric wires, switches, or fuses if your hands are wet or you are standing in water,” Zingoni advised.
“If an electrical appliance has been in contact with water, get a professional to check it out before it is used again as it may need to be repaired or replaced.”
She also asked users to report any defects or damaged infrastructure through Eskom’s numerous customer support channels, which include the MyEskom Customer App, Alfred the Chatbot, and the Eskom Contact Centre (08600 ESKOM / 37566).
