The DA in the Mahikeng Local Municipality succeeded in obtaining an exemption from loadshedding by Eskom in the municipality, particularly the Central Business District (CBD) and other affected areas, following an 11 day extended electricity blackout because of an explosion at the Mimosa electrical substation last week.

The DA submitted a letter to Eskom, requesting that Mahikeng, particularly the CBD and other affected areas, be exempt from loadshedding for the entire number of days that they were without electricity due to the Mimosa electrical substation explosion. Eskom’s Loadshedding Committee convened last Friday afternoon and decided to grant only three days of loadshedding exemption, starting 8 May until 11 May 2023.

We welcome the three-day respite from loadshedding, but the relief fails to adequately compensate for the inconvenience and financial losses residents and businesses suffered because of the blackout. We will write to Eskom again, requesting fair compensation on behalf of residents and businesses, by exempting the entire area from loadshedding for the full number of days of blackouts experienced.

Some parts of the CBD and other areas in Mahikeng, like Golf View and Danville, are still without electricity supply. Eskom confirmed that this is the result of several minisubs that have been vandalised, which will be repaired today. Most areas’ electricity should then be restored.

The local economy suffered severe damage from these lengthy blackouts, which will take years to recover from. The DA has been in contact with a business owner who claimed losses of about R400 000, while the full extent of the financial impact on all businesses still needs to be assessed.

If the electricity supply is not restored to the CBD by the end of today, several businesses will be forced to close their doors.

Residents, especially the elderly and vulnerable, are emotionally and financially drained and also need urgent relief from this electricity crisis.

The DA will be in contact with Eskom throughout the day to advocate for electricity to be restored as soon as possible. It is also very important that Eskom investigate the cause of the explosion at the Mimosa electrical substation and report the findings to the public.

The DA will engage all affected business owners in the Mahikeng CBD to discuss a way forward to claim additional compensation from Eskom for financial losses incurred.

Throughout this crisis, it has been abundantly evident that the ANC administration has no desire to defend the rights of the people and that the DA is the only party that gets things done.

Letter to ESKM COO Attached

Issued by Cllr Arista Annandale - DA Councillor: Mahikeng Local Municipality