Severe weather leaves parts of Limpopo, KZN in the dark

Communities in Tzaneen and Mashashane in Limpopo, along with areas in KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State, remain without electricity as Eskom works to repair storm-related damage, the utility said Sunday.

Eskom said its teams are working around the clock to repair damaged infrastructure and restore electricity to areas affected by severe weather.

The power utility confirmed the ongoing restoration efforts in a media statement issued on Sunday.

This comes after widespread weather-related disruptions left several communities without electricity.

“Ongoing adverse weather, persisting daily through the festive season, has led to a sharp increase in faults across Eskom’s supply areas nationwide,” the utility said.

While major disruptions in the Eastern Cape have largely been resolved, Eskom said KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Free State remain severely affected.

Eskom said teams are on the ground repairing damaged infrastructure to restore supply to affected communities, including those in Tzaneen and Mashashane.

“These conditions are placing significant strain on response times, particularly in areas where access is restricted due to flooding, damaged infrastructure or unsafe terrain,” Eskom said.

“Despite these challenges, Eskom teams are working round the clock to restore supply safely and as quickly as possible.”

The utility thanked customers for their patience and understanding during the holiday period and urged the public to remain cautious.

“For safety reasons, customers are reminded to always treat electrical networks as live, even when supply appears to be off,” Eskom said.

The power outages come as the South African Weather Service (SAWS) warned of heavy downpours and severe thunderstorms across northern parts of the country. 

Gauteng  Limpopo and Mpumalanga were placed under a yellow level 4 warning from Sunday, December 28, to Monday, December 29.

The Weather Service warned that the storms could bring heavy rainfall leading to flooding of roads, settlements and low-lying areas, as well as excessive lightning, strong damaging winds and large amounts of small hail.

Potential impacts include road and bridge closures, damage to infrastructure and property, and losses affecting livelihoods and livestock, the agency said.

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