Massive power outage in Pietermaritzburg (again) after substation blows (again)

[zolly]

I've done this a few times. The longest we've been in the dark was 14 days. But just vote, wait and see

Fair enough, but my parents are old. Time to get them the hell out of dodge I think.

 

[Herr der Verboten]

Fair enough, but my parents are old. Time to get them the hell out of dodge I think.

In the end we will probably be running our own water, electricity and food.

 

[zolly]

Meanwhile in Cape Town:

Power goes out at about 7.30 PM due to fire at/near a substation. Fire department deals with the fire, although they are delayed due to the size of it. Repair teams go in. Within less than a day, all areas likely to have power restored. The DA difference.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1473173284682448899

 

[TheChamp]

Meanwhile in Cape Town:

Power goes out at about 7.30 PM due to fire at/near a substation. Fire department deals with the fire, although they are delayed due to the size of it. Repair teams go in. Within less than a day, all areas likely to have power restored. The DA difference.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1473173284682448899

And you are trying to draw parallels between two completely different things, it's not a substation that burnt down in the Cape Town incident, so why compare it to the PMB incident?

If you need to do comparisons compare your PMB incident to the DA governed Tshwane incident and ask yourself if it was repaired in a day, where was the DA difference there?

But you are angry so your logic is falling far short than expected, very understandable.

 

[zolly]

And you are trying to draw parallels between two completely different things, it's not a substation that burnt down in the Cape Town incident, so why compare it to the PMB incident?

If you need to do comparisons compare your PMB incident to the DA governed Tshwane incident and ask yourself if it was repaired in a day, where was the DA difference there?

But you are angry so your logic is falling far short than expected, very understandable.

It didn't burn down because teams were on site with the right equipment to make sure it didn't, even if a fire initially prevented the CPT team from getting in as quickly as they would like. Meanwhile in PMB the fire department couldn't do anything BECAUSE THEY LITERALLY DIDN'T HAVE DRY POWDER TO DEAL WITH THE FIRE. The fire department in PMB literally had to watch the substation burn completely to the ground.

It's not "about logic". For me, it's about two cities I have lived in and experienced. It's sad having seen how such a beautiful city such as PMB has completely gone to pieces as ANC corruption has dug into the cities coffers.

If you have a negative experience with the DA's management in Tshwane regarding substations going out you are welcome to create that thread or share it here.


Edit.

But you are angry so your logic is falling far short than expected, very understandable.

Judging from some of your comments it's clear you have an anti-DA beef, which may/may not be justified. I'm just pissed that an ANC run city didn't even have the tools they needed to deal with a BASIC issue that is likely to occur and people (including my direct family) have suffered massively as a result, while a similar problem in a DA run city is getting resolved reasonably quickly.

 

[TheChamp]

It didn't burn down because teams were on site with the right equipment to make sure it didn't, even if a fire initially prevented the CPT team from getting in as quickly as they would like. Meanwhile in PMB the fire department couldn't do anything BECAUSE THEY LITERALLY DIDN'T HAVE DRY POWDER TO DEAL WITH THE FIRE. The fire department in PMB literally had to watch the substation burn completely to the ground.

It's not "about logic". For me, it's about two cities I have lived in and experienced. It's sad having seen how such a beautiful city such as PMB has completely gone to pieces as ANC corruption has dug into the cities coffers.

If you have a negative experience with the DA's management in Tshwane regarding substations going out you are welcome to create that thread or share it here.


Edit.



Judging from some of your comments it's clear you have an anti-DA beef, which may/may not be justified. I'm just pissed that an ANC run city didn't even have the tools they needed to deal with a BASIC issue that is likely to occur and people (including my direct family) have suffered massively as a result, while a similar problem in a DA run city is getting resolved reasonably quickly.

Tell me why the DA run Tshwane did not have the tools to deal with that basic issue with the power station that burnt down and plunged big parts of the city into darkness?

Judging from some of your comments you are too angry to exercise good judgment, sometimes stuff happens that finds a municipality not in a good position to stop or mitigate the damage, you need to accept that and stop trying to reduce it to an ANC or DA run municipality, clearly your argument is unable to stand scrutiny because if it was we would not have had the power issues we have seen in a DA run city.

Try seeing things in the right context and resist the urge to simplify things to your preferred level. I am sorry about your family that is suffering, it's not nice but it happens.

 

[TheChamp]

WATCH | Northdale residents in Pietermaritzburg blockade main roads after a week without electricity | Witness

Irate Northdale residents who have been without electricity for a week have blocked the main roads in the area and are demanding that the mayor come and address them.

www.news24.com

 

[Mista_Mobsta]

Can anyone explain why all these substations are burning down of late?

Lack of maintenance (very likely) or sabotage from criminal elements post elections (also very likely)?

 

[zolly]

WATCH | Northdale residents in Pietermaritzburg blockade main roads after a week without electricity | Witness

Irate Northdale residents who have been without electricity for a week have blocked the main roads in the area and are demanding that the mayor come and address them.

www.news24.com

Good. My parents called me and told me about this this morning. They should have blocked the road closer to the mall though.

 

[zolly]

Can anyone explain why all these substations are burning down of late?

Lack of maintenance (very likely) or sabotage from criminal elements post elections (also very likely)?

In KZN it's likely a combination. Apparently this substation was poorly maintained but mysteriously several others were also taken out of action in nearby areas.

 

[RedViking]

sabotage

 

[Mista_Mobsta]

In KZN it's likely a combination. Apparently this substation was poorly maintained but mysteriously several others were also taken out of action in nearby areas.

Not just in PMB but also in various areas in Tshwane of late - 3 substations mysteriously caught fire within the last month in Tshwane - maybe due to LS and lack of maintenance but who knows

 

[ShaunSA]

Good. My parents called me and told me about this this morning. They should have blocked the road closer to the mall though.

Should have gone around to the Mayor's house for a chat

I have nfi how folks are coping out there. And it doesn't seem like it's going to be sorted soon

 

[TheChamp]

Not just in PMB but also in various areas in Tshwane of late - 3 substations mysteriously caught fire within the last month in Tshwane - maybe due to LS and lack of maintenance but who knows

Problem is that the authorities will never say if it's poor maintenance because that will make them look bad, the sabotage excuse is just so perfect to throw at the masses, it doesn't have to be based on facts but it still works to take the heat off them.

Of course not saying it's impossible for it to be sabotage just noting how convenient it is to use that as an excuse.

 

[TheChamp]

Should have gone around to the Mayor's house for a chat

I have nfi how folks are coping out there. And it doesn't seem like it's going to be sorted soon

They should behave like civilised people and sit down, give the city some space to sort out the issue, Tshwane have been coping with such incidents on a much bigger scale but we did not see anyone protesting and going to the Mayor's house for a chat.

Since when do we condone these barbaric acts of blocking roads anyway?

 

[Mista_Mobsta]

Problem is that the authorities will never say if it's poor maintenance because that will make them look bad, the sabotage excuse is just so perfect to throw at the masses, it doesn't have to be based on facts but it still works to take the heat off them.

Of course not saying it's impossible for it to be sabotage just noting how convenient it is to use that as an excuse.

Have to agree re the authorities - it's a given in SA that those in power just can't admit it when things are out of control or that they are incompetent.

The sabotage "excuse" exists as I find it very hard to believe that so many substations are giving up the ghost purely as a lack of maintenance all within such a short amount of time.

 

[TheChamp]

Have to agree re the authorities - it's a given in SA that those in power just can't admit it when things are out of control or that they are incompetent.

The sabotage "excuse" exists as I find it very hard to believe that so many substations are giving up the ghost purely as a lack of maintenance all within such a short amount of time.

And understandably so, we have people in SA who would persue very frivolous civil litigation against them if they ever admitted it was their mistake that led to the outage.

Regarding the sabotage, this is an article about Mooikloof catching fire from 2017,

Mooikloof substation goes up in flames

Many suburbs could be without power for up to seven days

www-iol-co-za.cdn.ampproject.org

Wapadrand caught fire in July.

Tshwane to rebuild troublesome Wapadrand electricity sub-station

Thousands of residents in the area are fed up of being plunged into darkness too often.

www-iol-co-za.cdn.ampproject.org

It also burnt down in 2018, and has been troublesome for a long time.

Tshwane to rebuild troublesome Wapadrand electricity sub-station

Thousands of residents in the area are fed up of being plunged into darkness too often.

www-iol-co-za.cdn.ampproject.org

As you can see both substations have been troublesome for long, the fact that they are again experiencing issues in the same month should not be a surprise as there is nothing surprising about that. I am not keen in buying into the sabotage narrative simply because it gives the authorities an easy way out, unless they put cold, hard facts on the table it should be ignored.

 

[Mista_Mobsta]

And understandably so, we have people in SA who would persue very frivolous civil litigation against them if they ever admitted it was their mistake that led to the outage.

Regarding the sabotage, this is an article about Mooikloof catching fire from 2017,

Mooikloof substation goes up in flames

Many suburbs could be without power for up to seven days

www-iol-co-za.cdn.ampproject.org

Wapadrand caught fire in July.

Tshwane to rebuild troublesome Wapadrand electricity sub-station

Thousands of residents in the area are fed up of being plunged into darkness too often.

www-iol-co-za.cdn.ampproject.org

It also burnt down in 2018, and has been troublesome for a long time.

Tshwane to rebuild troublesome Wapadrand electricity sub-station

Thousands of residents in the area are fed up of being plunged into darkness too often.

www-iol-co-za.cdn.ampproject.org

As you can see both substations have been troublesome for long, the fact that they are again experiencing issues in the same month should not be a surprise as there is nothing surprising about that. I am not keen in buying into the sabotage narrative simply because it gives the authorities an easy way out, unless they put cold, hard facts on the table it should be ignored.

Legend thank you for the links and articles.

Seems this has more to do with quick/shoddy replacement units that are designed as a short term solution rather than building for longevity. Have to hold the authorities to account as lots of people are left vulnerable to crime, especially during the silly season. Also wonder whether insurance companies will reimburse policy holders if their houses are burgled during the extended power outages?

 

[ShaunSA]

They should behave like civilised people and sit down, give the city some space to sort out the issue, Tshwane have been coping with such incidents on a much bigger scale but we did not see anyone protesting and going to the Mayor's house for a chat.

Since when do we condone these barbaric acts of blocking roads anyway?

We're civilised? Wtf did that happen?

 

[TheChamp]

We're civilised? Wtf did that happen?

Clearly some did not get the memo when it happened, but things do take a while to filter down to neighbouring countries, but in good time with patience all SADC countries will be just as civilised.