Loadshedding
Power outages devastate Buccleuch residents – sparking outrage
The latest power outages have hit Buccleuch residents hard, leaving them frustrated and outraged by the lack of electricity in their community.
Among those greatly affected are Sasha Richards and Seshma Bhoopal, two individuals who rely heavily on power for a comfortable life.
Sasha Richards, a 33-year-old disabled woman, relies on a machine for warmth to alleviate her leg pain. The power outage has disrupted her daily routine and rendered her unable to carry out essential tasks.
“As a children’s book illustrator who works from home, the days without power have caused significant delays in my work. But what’s even worse is that I couldn’t wash dishes, take a bath, or do laundry because I am unable to use cold water,” Richards explained. She also expressed the physical discomfort she experienced without her warmer during the outage.
Also read: City Power is seeking to reduce load shedding
Seshma Bhoopal, a mother whose child has a cardiac condition requiring 24-hour oxygen support, highlighted the challenges she faced in keeping her son, Ayaan Bhoopal, adequately cared for during the power outage.
“I have made extensive efforts to arrange portable oxygen machines and tanks for instances of load shedding. However, without electricity, I had to constantly change machines and cannulas throughout the night while staying awake to monitor my child’s breathing. The lack of sleep took a toll on both me and my son,” Bhoopal shared.
She further described the exhausting process of searching for places to charge the portable oxygen at odd hours, adding that the stress was overwhelming for a child with medical needs. She emphasised that much of her son’s medication, which needed refrigeration, became ineffective due to the prolonged power outage.
The stories of Sasha Richards and Seshma Bhoopal reflect the immense hardships Buccleuch residents face as they grapple with the ongoing power outages. The community calls for urgent action and resolution to ensure they can meet their basic needs and that their quality of life is not compromised.
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Picture: Unsplash / Milton Wiklund
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