Update
KNYSNA NEWS - Frustration over prolonged electricity outages boiled over on Thursday evening, 21 May when residents of the Crags staged a protest and temporarily disrupted traffic along the N2 highway between the Crags and Plettenberg Bay.
Residents blocked the entrance to Kurland Village while community members gathered near the roadway demanding urgent intervention and clearer communication regarding ongoing electricity outages in several communities across the Garden Route for close to three weeks.
The protesters said they have been struggling without electricity, and in some areas without water, for extended periods after severe weather earlier this month.
Among the communities hardest hit are Rheenendal and Brackenhill, where some residents say they are now on day 17 without electricity.
Residents report spoiled food, limited communication, interrupted water supply and increasing financial strain on households and businesses. Tourism establishments and small businesses have also reported losses while having to rely on costly generators and temporary power solutions.
Since the Knysna-Plett Herald’s front-page article on the ongoing outages was published on Thursday, the publication has been inundated with complaints, photographs and messages from residents in other affected areas detailing similar hardships.
Several residents expressed concern for vulnerable community members, including elderly residents, young children and individuals dependent on electrically powered medical equipment.
Eskom working round the clock
In a statement issued today, Friday 22 May, Eskom confirmed that restoration efforts across the Western Cape are ongoing and progressing steadily. Eskom technical teams have restored electricity to about 80% of affected areas.
“Crews continue to work around the clock to safely restore supply to remaining customers,” the power utility stated.
Eskom further said flooding continues to delay access to damaged infrastructure in parts of Citrusdal and Lutzville, while persistent cable theft and vandalism have significantly affected restoration efforts in the Crags. “Recovery teams remain deployed across affected communities in the Boland, Garden Route, Overberg/Overstrand and West Coast regions,” it said.
Eskom also acknowledged that several Garden Route communities, including Rheenendal, Bibby’s Hoek and Karatara, remain without electricity following the severe weather conditions.
"We are aware that Eskom has not restored power in the abovementioned areas after the severe weather. We apologise for the inconvenience caused and understand the frustration experienced by affected residents and businesses. We will continue to engage with Eskom and provide further updates as soon as new information becomes available. For enquiries and further information, please contact Eskom directly on 0860 037 566,” the statement read.
Despite the progress reported by Eskom, frustration among residents in the Garden Route continues to grow.
Community members have called on Eskom, municipalities and disaster management authorities to improve communication with residents and provide additional humanitarian support to severely impacted areas.
At the time of publication, repair teams were continuing work in affected regions while authorities monitored the situation.
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