Alberton residents endure 48-hour blackout due to infrastructure failures

A recent power outage in Alberton has left residents without electricity for over 48 hours, despite previous assurances from the local municipality. The blackout, which commenced late on September 30, has raised concerns about the area’s electrical infrastructure.

Ward 37 Clr Ivan Naidoo attributed the outage to equipment failure at the Z10 and Z9 substations during the restoration process. Naidoo mentioned that efforts to restore power were hindered by the malfunction at these substations.

The lack of electricity has led to various challenges for residents, including spoiled food and disruptions to daily routines. Local businesses have also felt the impact, with some temporarily closing and others operating at reduced capacity.

One local business expressed their struggle, stating, “It’s been tough for us. We are new to this business centre and we rely on our regular customers. Without power, we can’t serve them. We hope for a permanent resolution.”

Despite previous commitments to improve power reliability, the city has not provided a detailed response regarding future preventive measures. The Alberton Record has reached out to local authorities for clarification on steps to prevent similar outages.

While awaiting the municipality’s response, residents are calling for increased investment in infrastructure and better contingency planning to prevent such incidents in the future.

Source: The Citizen