Latest news with #TshwaneEmergencyServicesDepartment
IOL News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Tshwane's substation fires raise concerns over safety and maintenance
The Zwartkop substation fire and explosion resulted in significant power outages affecting areas such as Clubview, Valhalla, and Thaba Tshwane. Image: Supplied Opposition parties in Tshwane have slammed the city administration for inadequate protection of substations after the Swartkop substation caught fire, leaving areas like Clubview, Valhalla, and Thaba Tshwane without power. The incident follows a similar explosion at the Brakfontein substation just a month ago, which also caused widespread power outages and frustration among residents. The Zwartkop substation fire and explosion caused a trip of the Lyttelton Line 1 at Njala substation, impacting Wingate, Aries, and De Hoewes substations, leaving parts of Centurion and Pretoria East without power. Freedom Front Plus councillor Lenor Janse van Rensburg said her party has repeatedly urged the metro to maintain and properly secure substations, but their requests have been ignored. She commended the Tshwane Emergency Services Department and the Gauteng government for working tirelessly to bring the fire under control. She said alongside the substation fire, two other power outages hit Pretoria on Monday night, which include a cut power cable in Doringkloof and vandalism at a mini substation on Pretorius Avenue. Van Rensburg said: 'The Freedom Front Plus has repeatedly requested that the metro not only maintain substations but also ensure they are properly secured. These requests have fallen on deaf ears.' Former mayor and DA Tshwane caucus leader, Cilliers Brink, demanded that Tshwane disclose how many of its substations are equipped with surge and fire protection. He said: 'No substation is meant to burn down due to voltage surges, whether caused by lightning or cables being hacked off. A surge protection system, backed by battery power, shuts down the substation before a fire breaks out. This not only protects the electricity infrastructure, but also human life.' Brink explained that if surge protection fails, the next line of defence is fire suppression, which can include systems like sprinklers, providing an additional layer of protection. 'This is what makes Tshwane's unusually high number of substation fires extremely suspicious,' he said. As Tshwane mayor last year, following the Mooikloof substation fire, Brink commissioned an investigation into the cause of such fires. The probe included assessing surge protection systems at substations, reviewing payments to service providers responsible for repairing damaged substations, and determining why a tender for surge protection system installation and repair had not been established. Municipal spokesperson Selby Bokaba said on Wednesday that the Zwartkop substation remained off-line while the city's technicians continued with repairs to the damaged site. He said: 'The team's assessment report has revealed that the substation suffered extensive vandalism, resulting in major damage to the 630 mm High Tension (HT) cables and control cables that now need to be replaced. These control cables are essential for the protection of the substation.' Bokaba added that investigations revealed the Lyttelton/Kwagga Overhead Line 1 was also damaged in the Zwartkop substation fire, and the sub-transmission team is currently disconnecting the line. According to him, overnight work showed promising results, with transformer 2B testing positive and ready for use. The next step, he said, will be to replace the stolen single-core and multi-core cables for transformer 2B. Bokaba appreciated the patience displayed by the affected customers, adding that the estimated time for restoration will be communicated once the bulk of the repair work has been completed. [email protected]
The Citizen
25-04-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Family loses everything after fire from gas cylinder explosion
Family loses everything after fire from gas cylinder explosion In response to a heartbreaking fire that took several precious and important belongings from the Mashaba family, Good Samaritans have come out to assist with basic needs to quell their suffering. The Tsalanang organisation donated clothes to the six-member family. The family of two adults and four youths were affected by a fire following a gas cylinder explosion. The explosion burned down their home and its contents, leaving the family with only the clothes on their back. Tshepo Ramoncha from the organisation said, 'We could not sit and relax while a family lost everything they owned'. Ramoncha said the fire took everything the family owned. 'We donated the clothes for the family, but there is a lot that needs to be done. We are appealing to the public with any form of donations from food parcels, warm winter clothes, furniture and building materials to help the family recover and rebuild their lives,' said Ramoncha. The family resides at 13171 Mohlware Street, near Stanza Bopape High School in Mamelodi. The organisation is truly proud of the unity and collective spirit shown by the community and partnering organisations during this difficult time. 'Together, we are making a meaningful difference,' said Ramoncha. Mashaba, owner of the house, has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to all the organisations and individuals who stepped in to support his family. He sends his blessings to everyone involved, especially to Tsalanang for the donations. 'May God bless you all for not giving up on us,' said Mashaba. The Tshwane Emergency Services Department previously said that they responded to a fire at a house in Matlhare Street in Mamelodi East on April 11. Emergency services spokesperson Lindsay Zwelithini Mnguni said the fire was reported to the Emergency Communication Centre at 23:53. Firefighting resources were immediately dispatched from Mamelodi and Silverton fire stations to the scene. These included two fire engines and a water tanker. Upon arrival, firefighters found the main house was alight and immediately began firefighting operations. A gas cylinder exploded, resulting in the collapse of parts of the roof, while the fire damaged the whole house. Two adults and four youths were affected by the fire. 'Our Disaster Risk Management officers also arrived on the scene and conducted an impact assessment to assist the family with basic items, and with the co-ordination of the services that they might require,' said Mnguni. The two-roomed flat in the backyard, fortunately, was not affected by the fire. He also said there were no injuries that were reported in this incident, and the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. To report any fire or rescue emergency, residents are encouraged to call 107 toll-free, or 012 358 6300/6400. When reporting an emergency, please remain calm, speak clearly, know where you are to give the correct address, and give your correct contact number to allow the operator to phone you back should they be required to do so. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Tshwane reports only three accidents over Easter
Tshwane reports only three accidents over Easter Over the Easter weekend the Tshwane Emergency Services Department (ESD) responded to only three accidents, two of which resulted in fatalities, Spokesperson Lindsay Mnguni said the first major incident occurred just after midnight on the N1/N14 interchange in Centurion on Friday, April 18. He said that a car with five occupants overturned and firefighters from Centurion Fire Station were called. Mnguni added that the victims were treated for minor to life-threatening injuries. 'Sadly, one of the patients was trapped, and despite our firefighters' best efforts to extricate him, he succumbed to his injuries due to the severity of the crash,' said Mnguni. 'The remaining patients were transported to Kalafong Hospital by Gauteng Emergency Medical Services.' The second incident took place on the N4 near the Sasol Garage in Bronkhorstspruit at 06:39 in the morning, when two minibus taxis collided. Mnguni said that one passenger was trapped in the wreckage and had to be rescued by firefighters. He said five patients sustained serious injuries and were taken to Bronkhorstspruit Hospital. 'At approximately 10:27, a fatal accident occurred at the corner of Pierneef Street and 29th Avenue in Villieria.' Mnguni said a motorbike and a light motor vehicle collided, resulting in the motorcyclist's death on impact. He added that firefighters from both Innesdale and Central Fire Stations responded to the scene, using rescue tools to free the driver trapped in the light motor vehicle. 'The injured driver was treated and transported to Zuid-Afrikaans Hospital by private ambulance.' The causes of these accidents have not yet been determined, but Mnguni emphasised the importance of remaining vigilant on the roads. 'We continue to encourage all motorists and road users to stay alert and exercise caution, especially during the Easter holiday period,' he said. Mnguni encouraged residents to report any fire or rescue incidents by calling 107 toll-free or 012 358 6300/6400. He also reminded the public to provide clear, accurate information when reporting emergencies for a prompt response. Other local emergency services reported no major incidents over the weekend. VEMRU spokesperson, Casper Visser, mentioned that in Pretoria East no noteworthy incident occurred over the Easter weekend. Similarly, Cert SA spokesperson, Ruan Heyns, said Centurion experienced a relatively calm Easter period. While the Tshwane region reported a relatively low number of accidents, the broader road safety campaign has shown positive early results. Minister of Roads and Transport, Barbara Creecy, noted that while complete Easter road accident statistics are still undergoing quality assurance and verification, preliminary data indicates a promising trend across the country. 'Our early indications are that the road safety campaign has been effective, and the public has responded positively to our messages,' Creecy said. 'However, I prefer not to release any statistics until the Easter weekend concludes. I don't want to jinx the good record we've had so far.' She also revealed that preliminary data shows a significant decrease in both crashes and fatalities across most provinces, with the exception of Mpumalanga, which continues to report higher incidents. Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
