Statement by Councillor Peter Helfrich, Ward Councillor, Ward 109 in the City of Cape Town:
Prolonged Eskom power outages across Ward 109 in the City of Cape Town are placing immense strain on children, the elderly, vulnerable households and local businesses as many residents endure the cold without heating, lighting, refrigeration and access to electricity for their most basic daily needs.
Peter Helfrich, Ward Councillor for Ward 109 in the City of Cape Town, has expressed grave concern over the ongoing electricity outages affecting large parts of the ward, with many residents now entering a second consecutive week without power following the recent severe weather conditions.
While residents understand that adverse weather results in a significant increase in faults and places considerable pressure on Eskom repair teams, it is wholly unacceptable that households are being left without electricity for such extended periods.
“I am receiving countless calls from residents who are truly struggling,” said Councillor Helfrich. “People are cold, vulnerable, and increasingly desperate. While we appreciate the scale of the challenges Eskom is facing, it cannot be acceptable that residents in Ward 109 are now heading into a second week without power.”
The prolonged outages are having a devastating impact across the community. Children are unable to study properly or prepare for school. Elderly residents and those who are ill are being forced to endure extremely cold conditions without heating. Vulnerable households are struggling to cook meals, refrigerate medication, and maintain basic living standards. Families are losing large quantities of food due to spoiled refrigerators and freezers, placing additional financial pressure on already stretched household budgets.
Local businesses are also suffering significant losses as they are unable to operate effectively, leading to lost income, reduced productivity, and ongoing economic hardship.
The hardest-hit areas in Ward 109 include Sandvlei, Kramat, Macassar Beach, and numerous other parts of Macassar, where repeated faults continue to leave residents in the dark.
Councillor Helfrich stated that he has been in direct contact with Eskom multiple times each day since the crisis began and has submitted a comprehensive list of all affected roads, areas, and individual households. Despite this, many reported faults remain unattended.
“Residents continue to log faults through Eskom’s Alfred application, yet there appears to be little or no response. The reality is that residents are reporting issues, but no meaningful action is being taken.”
Councillor Helfrich also questioned whether sufficient preventative measures were taken ahead of the forecasted storm conditions.
“Eskom was aware that severe weather was approaching. They know exactly where the aging and vulnerable infrastructure is located because it is the same infrastructure that fails every time we experience heavy rain and storms. More proactive maintenance and preparedness should have taken place before the weather struck.”
He further noted that in previous years, Eskom regularly deployed external contractors to assist with major backlogs when internal resources were overwhelmed.
“In the past, when Eskom could not cope with the volume of faults, contractors were brought in to support restoration efforts. These days, contractors are rarely seen in our communities, and it is increasingly evident that Eskom’s own staff cannot manage the workload on their own. In the meantime, residents are left to suffer.”
Councillor Helfrich pointed out that individual electricity faults in the ward often take up to three weeks to resolve on average, underscoring the urgent need for improved operational capacity and infrastructure investment.
“This is not a new problem. We face the same situation year after year, and residents are understandably frustrated. Electricity tariffs continue to increase, yet many households endure repeated and lengthy outages. This is simply unacceptable.”
Councillor Helfrich is calling on Eskom management to urgently deploy the necessary resources to restore electricity to all affected areas in Ward 109 and to communicate clearly with residents regarding the steps being taken to resolve the crisis.
“I cannot stand by and watch my residents continue to suffer under these conditions. Eskom must urgently find a solution and ensure that communities in Ward 109 receive the reliable electricity supply they are paying for.”
