Due to a bout of extremely cold and windy weather, residents and businesses from various parts in Grahamstown were without water or electricity on and off through out the week.
Due to a bout of extremely cold and windy weather, residents and businesses from various parts in Grahamstown were without water or electricity on and off through out the week.
According to municipal spokesperson, Thandy Matebese the problem is that one of the two electric water pumps in Waainek stopped working. He also said the municipality is still waiting for supplies and a technician from out of town to fix the pump on Monday. In terms of the power failure, Lukhanyo Mbuyephi from the Makana electricity department says the strong winds caused some electrical cables to get entangled, leading to high voltage damaging a transformer at the substation in the industrial area.
The power failure thus resulted in the water pump being damaged. He also said it’s going to take them eight weeks to obtain a new transformer from Eskom and install it. An alternative is to approach other municipalities to see if they have a spare transformer they could rent. However, he said that most municiplaities don’t have a spare as transformers easily get damaged from dust and moisture.
People from all over Grahamstown had to make do without the basics throughout the week. Residents from Extension 2 and 9 and Joza turned on their taps on Tuesday afternoon to find that no water was coming out. Nompumelelo Maki, an Extension 9 resident says she couldn’t cook for her children or wash her clothes.
Maki says she and her family had no other means of getting water and believes that the situation "is bad because water is life." Although there was running water on Wednesday, when Phumzile Mfecane, also an Extension 9 resident, opened his tap he discovered that there was only a small stream coming out. Some residents walked with buckets and containers to neighbouring areas where there was water.
Some of the places affected in town include Rhodes University and various businesses. On Wednesday, various shops in town had to close due to the absence of electricity. Red Cafe owner, Justus Wagener says, "This is a problem as we are headed towards the Festival and it could affect business and preparation.” Some of the businesses affected include Kodak, the Post Office, 137 High Street and Knights.
At Rhodes University an email from Les Reynolds, Director of Estates Divison was sent to staff and students, urging them to "refrain from using all non-essential equipment and machinery for the time being". He also stated that there is only a limited supply of electricity available for Rhodes campus until the municipal transformers are repaired or replaced. Meanwhile students who are still writing exams are concerned because they need to use computers to study.
"’We cannot study here because the internet is down and this is really unfair,” said Chris Edley, a second-year Law student. Mavis Mnyungula, a Mandela Dining Hall senior kitchen caterer, had to take ingredients to dining halls which did have electricity in order top prepare lunch for her students. She said students will have to brace themselves to eat cold food if the problem continues to remain unsolved.
