CONTINUED LACK OF SERVICE

To whom it may concern,

I hereby express my deep frustration and distress regarding the ongoing lack of electricity in our community for the past 26 days. Myself and various neighbours have been without electricity. This situation has gone far beyond being a mere inconvenience — it has completely stripped us of basic living conditions and has severely affected every sphere of our daily lives.

For 26 days, we have been forced to live without the most fundamental necessities that electricity provides. Food cannot be stored properly and spoils quickly, leaving households struggling to maintain even basic nutrition. We are unable to wash and maintain clean clothing properly, which affects our dignity, health, and ability to function normally. The inability to heat water means that taking a warm bath has become impossible, especially during cold weather conditions. Living this way for such an extended period is inhumane and deeply degrading.

Beyond the physical hardships, the emotional and mental strain has become unbearable. I am a student who is already facing the enormous pressure of funding my own studies while living in a disadvantaged community. Education is not a luxury for me — it is my only hope of improving my circumstances and creating a better future. However, this prolonged power outage has made studying nearly impossible. I have assignments due and examinations that require extensive preparation, yet I am expected to cope without electricity, lighting, internet access, or the ability to charge devices consistently. Studying late at night is impossible. Accessing online resources and completing academic work has become a daily struggle. The stress and anxiety this has caused are overwhelming. It feels as though opportunities I have worked so hard for are slipping away because of circumstances completely beyond my control.

What makes this even more painful is the extremely poor service and lack of urgency shown in resolving this issue. Residents have continuously reported the problem and attempted to follow the available channels for escalation, yet nothing meaningful has been done. The existing systems that are supposedly meant to assist communities in situations like this are clearly failing us. We are left without answers, without timelines, and without any sense that our suffering is being taken seriously. This prolonged outage has affected our health, education, finances, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. Families are exhausted. People are losing hope. We are being forced to survive under conditions that no community should ever have to endure for nearly a month.

I have personally made repeated efforts to follow up telephonically with Eskom. On 28 April 2026, I spoke with a representative, who assured me that Eskom would do their utmost to resolve the issue promptly. However, no action followed. I called again on 30 April 2026 and spoke with a representative of Eskom, who cited contractor-related delays but assured me that a team would be dispatched that same day. Once again, this commitment was not fulfilled. I called again on 5 May and was told that Eskom is waiting on materials to restore the electricity.

We demand immediate intervention from Eskom and accountability regarding this matter. Our community deserves basic human dignity, reliable service delivery, and clear communication. We cannot continue to live under these conditions while our pleas for help are ignored.

I sincerely hope Eskom treats this complaint with the seriousness and urgency it deserves.