Eskom says power restoration nearly complete after severe storms in KZN
Eskom in KZN said power has been restored to most areas after outages caused by severe weather conditions.
Image: Independent Newspapers Archives
Eskom has made significant progress in restoring electricity supply across KwaZulu-Natal after severe weather left more than 190,000 customers without power last week.
By Monday, June 16, only five networks remained affected, with restoration work expected to be completed by Tuesday.
In a statement, Eskom said the province had faced widespread storm damage, heavy winds, and snowfall which 'left more than 190,000 customers without power when 163 networks were affected across the province.'
'The storm's impact has been devastating, with infrastructure severely damaged in multiple areas,' said Eskom.
'Despite these extreme conditions, Eskom's technical teams have been working tirelessly and with exceptional urgency to restore electricity supply under extremely hazardous and physically demanding circumstances.'
The utility said major work had been completed in Newcastle and Empangeni, allowing teams to be redeployed to Kokstad and Margate, two of the hardest-hit areas.
'Restoration is progressing as planned, with significant inroads made in Harding and Kokstad areas. Only five networks affecting 2,500 customers are outstanding. Most of the damaged infrastructure has been repaired, with a few poles remaining,' Eskom stated.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Next
Stay
Close ✕
The utility apologised for the inconvenience caused to affected customers and acknowledged its personnel's efforts: 'Eskom wishes to reassure the public that every available resource has been mobilised, and our field teams are working long hours to restore power.'
Eskom also urged the public to exercise extreme caution around damaged infrastructure and to report any exposed electrical components immediately via official reporting channels.
The utility also commended the resilience of its staff: 'Eskom commends the dedication shown by the field teams and the support given by their families as they worked around the clock over the long weekend.'
Customers still experiencing outages are encouraged to report faults using Eskom's self-service platforms.
Last week, KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance MEC, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, confirmed that Ugu District was the hardest hit by the storm.
'Strong winds and hailstorms damaged 47 households, affecting 277 people,' he said.
THE MERCURY
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Funding crisis looms for SA Post Office and Post Bank as rescue practitioners prepare to exit
The National Treasury firmly ruled itself out as an option to recapitalise SAPO. Image: Supplied Uncertainty surrounds the funding of about R7 billion needed to recapitalise both the South African Post Office (SAPO) and the Post Bank after National Treasury firmly ruled itself out as an option. This comes as the SAPO Business Rescue Practitioners prepare to exit the process, leaving the entity with a R1.7bn paper profit. During a briefing to Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Digital Technologies and Communications on Tuesday, SAPO's group acting CEO, Fathima Gany, expressed the urgency of the situation. Gany said SAPO required R3.8bn to efficiently run its extensive network of 657 branches while integrating necessary digitisation capabilities. "The magic number is R3.8bn. It could be anything else, unfortunately the fiscus doesn't have the ability to give us that and we have to appreciate that. How do we get SAPO fit for business to operate in this futuristic space that's digitalised?" Gany said. "We don't know what the funding model will be as we go out to the market. It has to be a hybrid because if it's not a hybrid and we turn only to the fiscus and the answer is no, then its a futile discussion on how to get SAPO ready for business." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Gany said the Post Office had settled all historical and outstanding debt through the business rescue process in a compromise that saw 12 cents to the rand paid out to the creditors, with the remainder flushed into the profit and loss account. She said SAPO looked like it made profits but those were none cash profits, and they were on the back of expenses while there were some creditors in dispute and immaterial amount. Gany said SAPO was close to finalising a service-level agreement with the Post Bank in the services it delivers to it, and some of the commercial revenue streams envisaged from postal branches. Meanwhile, Post Bank acting CEO Nikki Mbengashe said it was unclear how the bank could structure the at least R3bn required for it to serve the identified niche. Mbengashe said one of the options was to obtain guarantees from the National Treasury to enable the bank to raise funding without necessarily diluting the shareholding. "How much funding do we need? A lot if we really want to build branches, if we want to build digital presence. We don't have ATMs, branches and the infrastructure we need to have to provide digital capabilities," Mbengashe said. "The minimum is R3bn. We have done that exercise, we are engaging with the board in our next meeting. We have no intention of privatising the Post Bank, but we do need funding therefore we need to find options. We have gone to the National Treasury three times and three times the National Treasury has said no." Cape Argus
Daily Maverick
4 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Nelson Mandela Bay seesaws on rates as council battles to pass 2025/26 budget
The Nelson Mandela Bay Council will, again, try to pass the budget on Wednesday and while smaller increases in tariffs for water and sanitation were promised by mayor Babalwa Lobishe last Thursday, it wasn't included in the draft budget. However, by 5pm on Tuesday, a circular indicating that there were conditions to the reduced water and sanitation rates arrived with councillors. The Nelson Mandela Bay metro's council will again try on Wednesday to approve the budget for the 2025/26 financial year. Last Thursday, during the council meeting, Mayor Babalwa Lobishe promised a 0.5% reduction in the proposed increases for water and sewage. But in the draft budget received by councillors on Tuesday, it looked like the increase was again set at 5.5% and not at the promised 5%. But last Thursday night, a circular was signed by Nosipho Xhego, the executive director of corporate services in the metro, stating that the proposed reduced increase can only be put into operation if councillors agreed to scrap the city's scarce skills allowance and also agree to an overtime policy based on regulated thresholds. The circular states that the municipality currently does not have an overtime policy, and also pays more than the regulated thresholds, and implementing these could save R22-million in the current financial year. Other increases remain unchanged, including an increase in property rates by 5%. The proposed increase in electricity prices stands at 12.8%, which is 0.6% higher than the Eskom price. The electricity department is running at a loss of more than a billion and is spending more money on buying electricity than what it makes selling it – because of theft and meter tampering. Allowing this increase, however, is not a decision that can be taken by council though, as it falls within the mandate of the National Energy Regulator. In 2022, the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber successfully applied for an order from the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court in Gqeberha, indicating that Nersa must link price increases to a cost of supply and also was not allowed to pass on municipal inefficiencies to the consumer. Werner Senekal from the Democratic Alliance, the official opposition in the metro, said the budget's projections were off and it was based on a 76% collection rate while the average collection rate is 72%. He added that the Integrated Development Plan, setting out ward-based priorities and the budget, also was not in lockstep. By law, the budget must be passed by 1 July, otherwise the metro's council can be dissolved. In the latest circular sent on Tuesday afternoon, officials admitted that there must be better planning and also mechanisms in place to include ward councillors in decision-making around ward budgets. The money allocated to ward budgets in the revised budget, in comparison to last week, has increased by just over R44-million and, in comparison to the first draft budget in April, has increased by R452-million. Ward 1 and 2 in the metro, both in need of critical electrical infrastructure work, both received R4.8-million and R2-million more in their capital budgets. Ward 16, which includes a large section of the metro's manufacturing industry, received a R14-million boost in the new budget.
IOL News
14 hours ago
- IOL News
Enoch Godongwana to highlight public financial management at SAI20 Summit
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is expected to deliver a keynote address at the SAI20 Summit. Image: Phando Jikelo / GCIS The Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA), Tsakani Maluleke, will host a summit of supreme audit institutions (SAIs) of the G20 member countries, known as SAI20, on June 24-25, 2025, in Johannesburg. The summit is an event that will pave the way for the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) Summit to take place later in the year, and will bring together auditors-general from G20 countries to discuss key issues related to transparency and accountability in public financial management. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana will deliver a keynote address at the summit, highlighting the importance of transparency and accountability in public financial management, according to the AGSA statement. The summit will provide a platform for SAIs to share insights and best practices in promoting good governance and oversight of sustainable development. 'The SAI20 Summit is a crucial event that will enable SAIs to drive collaboration and support their vital role in enhancing governance and fostering oversight of sustainable development within their respective countries. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'The gathering will also present an opportunity for SAIs to share insights that will create foresight for G20 governments to ensure that the plight of citizens in their respective countries continues to lead the developmental agenda,' said Maluleke. She said the summit will focus on two developmental themes: unlocking and leveraging public infrastructure funding for equality, sustainable growth, and bringing improvement to the lives of citizens; and collaborative and integrative efforts for a future-ready workforce – bridging the skills gap in sustainable economic growth. Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke will host the SAI20 Summit next week. Image: Thobile Mathonsi / Independent Newspapers These themes are aligned with the G20's theme of solidarity, equality, and sustainability. 'The SAI20 Summit is a significant event that will have implications for global transparency and accountability. The summit will deliver a joint communique that will set out priorities for all member SAIs to implement until the next summit. This will ensure that SAIs continue to play a vital role in promoting good governance and oversight of sustainable development,' added Maluleke. According to Maluleke, the SAI20 Summit is an opportunity for SAIs to demonstrate their value and benefit by making a difference to the lives of citizens in their respective jurisdictions. 'The ultimate goal is to create an environment where public sector auditors all over the world can do their work to the best benefit of the citizens they are supposed to serve without any fear, favour or prejudice.'
