Who is affected?

The residents and businesses of Vanderbijlpark, especially in areas like CW1, CW2, CW3,CW4,CW5,CW6, Bophelong, Bonanne, and Stephanopark, are severely affected every winter when substations catch fire. During these periods, entire neighborhoods are without electricity for days, sometimes weeks. Businesses like my own, Coo&Co., cannot operate because the cost of running generators is unaffordable. These power outages cause significant financial and emotional hardship for ordinary people and entrepreneurs alike.

 What is at stake?

If nothing changes, the community’s growth and well-being will continue to suffer. Residents will keep experiencing discomfort and financial losses, and businesses will be pushed to the brink of insolvency. Electricity bills remain payable in full even when there is no service, placing further financial strain on households already struggling. The future of our community, our children, and our economy hangs in the balance.

 Why is now the time to act?

These problems have persisted every winter for years without meaningful improvement. The NE3 and Curie Boulevard substations have already caught fire multiple times in 2025 alone. It is time for the municipality, Eskom, and other responsible bodies to step up with urgent and sustainable solutions. We demand immediate upgrades, a rapid response and repair plan, accountability, and fair electricity tariffs during prolonged outages. We can no longer wait — our homes, our businesses, and our future are at stake.