Small South African town in the mountains hit by constant power outages

Sabie residents have been hit with constant power outages due to cable theft, infrastructure vandalism, negligence, and transformer repair delays.

It has reached such concerning levels that Mavin Pillay, a councillor of Thaba Chweu Local Municipality, has called on the mayor to address the crisis.

Sabie is a small forestry town on the banks of the Sabie River in the North Eastern Drakensberg Escarpment of Mpumalanga.

It is a popular holiday destination that offers hiking and backpacking, fly fishing, mountain biking, horse riding, white-water rafting, and rock climbing.

It is easily accessible from Gauteng and is located approximately 64 kilometres from the province’s capital, Nelspruit.

The tranquil town has been rocked by persistent power outages over the last two weeks, disrupting businesses and homes.

These power outages were caused by cable theft, infrastructure vandalism, negligence and transformer repair delays.

Pillay said that despite engaging with municipal officials, nothing much has changed, leaving residents without power for extended periods.

“We view this as a disregard for the needs of all residents. This is a clear indication of the municipality’s incompetence,” he said.

“Many households have reported significant damage to their electrical appliances, with some rendered completely unusable due to the unstable electricity supply.”

He said this compromised residents’ safety and placed a financial strain on them, as they were forced to replace costly appliances.

Businesses in Sabie have also been struggling to stay afloat, as this severely affects their operations.

“We cannot stand by while residents of Sabie and the surrounding areas continue to suffer under these conditions,” Pillay said.

“Reliable and stable electricity is not a luxury. It is a fundamental necessity, and the people of our communities deserve better.”