Eskom says illegal miners threaten officials, delay supply restoration in three areas

Koena Mashale Journalist
File photo.
File photo.
Image: Supplied

Eskom says illegal miners are threatening their officials and hampering their work in restoring power to some parts of Carletonville, Fochville and Potchefstroom which have no electricity after a transformer tripped.

Our employees are working tirelessly around the clock to expedite the restoration process. Eskom conducts its business with the principle that “No operating condition, or urgency of service, justifies exposing anyone to negative risks arising out of Eskom’s business or cause them injury or damage to the environment
Amanda Qithi

“At this stage, we are unable to provide a definitive timeline for the conclusion of the repairs. The safety of our employees and contractors remains our priority as they are being threatened by the illegal miners [zama zamas] operating in the area, contributing to the delay in supply restoration,” spokesperson Amanda Qithi said.

According to Qithi, the disruption began on Wednesday evening after a 500 MVA transformer at the Midas Substation tripped, cutting power to about 15 mines and surrounding residential areas.

She said the utility’s technical teams acted swiftly to restore limited power to the mines, allowing for essential operations to continue.

However, full repairs are still under way.

“Our employees are working tirelessly around the clock to expedite the restoration process. Eskom conducts its business with the principle that “No operating condition or urgency of service, justifies exposing anyone to negative risks arising out of Eskom’s business or cause them injury or damage to the environment”.

“We are committed to keeping all affected customers updated as we make progress. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience and understanding during this challenging time. Eskom will provide regular updates across all its communications platforms.”

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