DELMAS — Residents in Delmas spent Freedom Day without electricity after a planned power outage extended beyond the municipality’s communicated schedule, and for some, without water, as they have learned to live with the unreliable water supply.
“We were told the electricity would be back by 18:00, but it never came back. It’s disappointing, especially on a day like Freedom Day,” said one resident.
The Victor Khanye Local Municipality (VKLM) had earlier informed residents that power would be restored by early evening following planned maintenance. However, many households remained without electricity throughout the day and into the night, raising concerns about service delivery and infrastructure reliability.
According to a municipal public notice issued on 23 April 2026, residents were informed of planned emergency maintenance at the Delmas North substation. The work, scheduled for 27 April from 09:00 to 18:00, was intended to strengthen the protection system following recent lightning strikes that caused repeated outages.
Affected areas included Botleng Extensions 4 to 7, the Delmas Water Purification Plant and food production facilities at McCain Foods. Residents were also advised to treat all electrical installations as live during the maintenance period, with the municipality apologising in advance for any inconvenience.
Despite this, residents said power was not restored as scheduled, leaving many households without electricity throughout Freedom Day.
Electricity was only restored in some areas at approximately 04:00 the following morning, while others, including Mandela and Extension 7 (N12), remained without power.
Frustration was further compounded by ongoing water supply challenges, with residents describing persistent shortages as a daily struggle.
“This is not just about electricity. Water shortages have become a daily issue. It’s the same story every day,” said a community member.
The impact on households has been severe, particularly for families relying on electricity for daily needs.
“The power outage is really disrupting our lives. We rely on electricity. How are our children supposed to study when they depend on WiFi for research? How do we prepare food when we cannot afford takeaways? Worse still, food in our freezers goes bad, leading to further losses,” said Jabulile Mahlangu.
Residents also criticised local leadership, accusing officials of failing to respond adequately to ongoing service delivery issues.
“Councillors are not taking this matter seriously. This reflects poor leadership from the electrical department. The director and the mayor must account for what they are saying about this?” said Moses Masuku, a resident of Extension 4.
The ongoing water supply issues have further worsened conditions, with some households reporting unreliable access to clean water, particularly in N12, where residents rely on water carts instead of taps.
Questions were sent to Victor Khanye Local Municipality seeking clarity on the prolonged outage, communication failures and ongoing water challenges. However, by the time of publication, no response had been received.
Residents are calling on the municipality to provide clear explanations and implement sustainable solutions to ongoing infrastructure challenges, particularly when planned maintenance does not proceed as communicated.
