CAPE TOWN – Eskom has ramped up recovery efforts across the Western Cape as prolonged power outages continue to plague communities, with infrastructure theft and illegal connections severely hampering restoration work in townships and surrounding areas.
The state-owned electricity utility confirmed on Saturday that 19 areas are currently experiencing extended blackouts, with residents in Khayelitsha, Delft, and Wallacedene among the worst affected by the ongoing supply crisis.
Infrastructure theft cripples Delft supply network
The Delft area has emerged as a particular hotspot for criminal activity, with deliberate tampering of pole top boxes and rampant illegal connections causing systematic overloads that lead to transformer failures.
“These ongoing criminal activities are not only disrupting electricity supply but are also further delaying efforts to address the growing backlog of reported faults in the area,” Eskom stated in their latest update.
The utility condemned what it described as “acts of electricity theft and infrastructure vandalism” that continue to undermine essential service delivery while placing immense financial strain on the organisation, costing millions in repairs.
Communities experiencing prolonged outages include: Khayelitsha; Delfr; Wallacedene; Blue Downs; Eersteriver; Bloekombos; Du Noon; Uitsig; Philippi; Bardale; Tableview; Blackheath; Belhar; Macassar; Klapmuts; Fisantekraal; Nomzamu and Carbon.
Protests hamper repair efforts
Eskom’s restoration work faces additional challenges from protests at several Customer Network Centres (CNCs), which the utility says compromise both the safety of repair teams and their ability to attend to critical faults.
“We appeal for calm and cooperation from customers to ensure that we continue our restoration efforts without disruption,” the utility stated, urging residents to use official contact channels rather than visiting CNCs directly.
Public urged to report criminal activity
The electricity provider has issued a strong appeal for community cooperation in combating infrastructure theft and illegal connections.
Residents can report incidents through:
- Eskom Toll-Free Crime Hotline: 0800 11 27 22
- Local SAPS stations
- Anonymous reporting options available
“We urge residents to work together with Eskom and law enforcement to hold perpetrators accountable,” the utility emphasised.
Eskom customers are also encouraged to use digital platforms for fault reporting:
- MyEskom Customer App (available on App Store and Google Play)
- Alfred Chatbot on the Eskom website
- WhatsApp service: 08600 37566
