Formal Complaint

We are writing to formally express our profound dissatisfaction regarding a prolonged power outage that began on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at approximately 09:09. As of the time of this writing on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, power has still not been restored in some areas now.

The initial outage was caused by a Vumatel contractor who, while operating a pickaxe, struck an underground power line. It is our observation that the contractor was operating outside of safe and acceptable parameters, specifically:

The contractor made contact with the power line at a depth of approximately 900mm, whereas they should have been operating at a safe distance of between 100mm and 500mm.

The contractor proceeded past clearly marked tape that was in place to indicate the presence of the power line.

Update: Monday, November 18, 2025 We have just been informed that the damage is far more extensive than initially reported. Your contractors have struck the same power line at multiple points along Celtis Street, Palm Ridge, Katlehong. This repeated negligence has significantly expanded the scope of the damage and the area affected by the outage. The official reference for this incident remains Log No: CM*** with Ekurhuleni.

This pattern of damage, along with a concerning lack of professionalism and supervisory oversight, is completely unacceptable. The contractors were observed sitting in their vehicles eating, rather than attending to the emergency they had created. The site supervisor was absent at the time of the incident.

This cascading error and the subsequent delay in restoration represent an unacceptable level of service. The failure to restore power for an extended period has caused significant inconvenience and financial loss.

In addition to the power outage, this incident has resulted in damage to my electronic equipment due to the power surge caused by the initial line strike. I hold Vumatel and its contractors directly responsible for these damages.

We therefore demand the following immediate actions:

Urgent Restoration: Power must be restored immediately, accounting for the extensive, multi-point damage your contractors have caused.

Full Explanation: A detailed written explanation of the cause of this incident, the reasons for the repeated strikes, and the steps you are taking to prevent a recurrence.

We expect your urgent response and action.