Severe Storms Leave Msunduzi Residents Without Power

Severe thunderstorms hit Pietermaritzburg on Thursday afternoon, causing significant damage to the electricity infrastructure and plunging several areas into darkness. The Msunduzi Municipality has been working to restore power, but the process has been challenging due to the extent of the damage. The storm damaged major sections of the municipality's electricity network, leaving repair teams with a substantial task ahead.

The municipality's 33kV, 11kV, and low-voltage networks were all affected by the storms, with repair teams deployed to attend to the damage. The repairs include replacing fallen electricity poles, restringing overhead power lines, clearing tree branches, and repairing underground cables and other damaged infrastructure. The municipality has warned residents to exercise caution and treat all power lines as live, as electricity could be restored without prior notice.

The sudden restoration of electricity poses a serious risk of injury or electrocution, and residents have been warned not to tamper with electrical installations. The municipality has urged residents to report electricity faults through its call centre on 0800 001 868 to ensure complaints are formally logged and attended to. This will enable the municipality to prioritize repairs and restore electricity as soon as possible.

Residents in areas affected by 11kV and low-voltage faults have been advised to check the circuit breakers in their distribution boards and meter boxes once electricity has been restored, as these may have tripped during the outage. Those who remain without electricity after checking their breakers should log a new fault. The municipality has also advised customers using three-phase electricity to check that their equipment is functioning correctly.

The municipality has stressed that individual electricity complaints will only be attended to once they have been formally logged. Residents using alternative power systems, including photovoltaic (PV) solar installations, batteries, and generators, have been urged to check their changeover switches and ensure their systems comply with the required safety standards. This will help prevent any potential safety hazards.

The Msunduzi Municipality has apologized for the inconvenience caused by the unplanned outages and assured residents that repair teams are working to restore electricity as soon as possible. The municipality is working to restore power to all affected areas, but the process is expected to take some time. Residents are being urged to be patient and to report any further faults or issues.

The severe storms have highlighted the importance of maintaining and upgrading the electricity infrastructure in Pietermaritzburg. The municipality will need to assess the damage and develop a plan to prevent similar outages in the future. For now, residents will need to continue to exercise caution and follow the municipality's instructions to ensure their safety.

Key points

• The Msunduzi Municipality has warned residents to treat all power lines as live, as electricity could be restored without prior notice, posing a serious risk of injury or electrocution.