MAKHADO (LOUIS TRICHARDT) - Whilst the Makhado Municipality did its utmost to render services with diminished manpower, residents in the Levubu valley suffered for more than 24 hours without electricity, resulting in losses for farmers and businessmen.

At around 16:00 on Sunday, the Levubu area’s power supply was interrupted when two wooden electricity poles were burnt down approximately 15 kilometres from the Elim crossing on the Levubu/Albasini Road. The greater part of Levubu was affected by the power cut.

“The two poles that burnt out affected the whole Levubu area, because the 66 000 Volt transmission line between Elim and Levubu is a ring-feeder line that supplies power to six substations,” said Mr Masindi Mapholi, Makhado Municipality’s Director: Technical Services.

The suspicion was that the veldfire was started through negligence although the possibility of sabotage was not excluded. The fire apparently reached up to the area where the poles were. Both burnt and the one pole was completely razed by the fire.

“We cannot confirm that it was part of the SAMWU strike,” Mr Mapholi said.

The strike of the municipal worker unions did, however, have an effect on the repairing of the lines. Temporary workers had to aid the electricians in a very specialized operation. Apart from the strike, the fact that it was a long weekend also had an effect on the available workers. Another time-consuming factor was that a road had to be bulldozed and cranes implemented. Fortunately, the cross arm was made of steel. It had to be reconnected after the implanting of poles. The municipality worked tirelessly since Sunday afternoon and throughout the whole of Monday.

In the meantime, angry businessmen and farmers from Levubu had to pay twice for the whole dilemma. Not only did they suffer financial losses and inconvenience but, in the end, they are the same taxpayers out of whose pockets the cost of the damage and the overtime of the workers come.

“This is ridiculous to have no electricity. We cannot pack the bananas and our distributors are waiting for them. We could not water the potatoes and they are at a stage when they should receive maximum water,” a farmer, Mr Christo Theunissen, said. Another businessman had R200 000 worth of meat in his cooler rooms and, as the cooler rooms run on three-phase electricity, they could not be connected to generators. A garage owner, Mr Callie Erasmus, said it was chaos at the garage with the noise of the generators deafening the ears of both customers and petrol attendants.

“We are terribly upset. This power failure is very, very inconvenient. We don’t fail to pay our linefees and electricity regularly,” said a Levubu businessman.

“Everybody is suffering financial losses. Furthermore, we pay for service that we do not get. The municipality is to a large extent ‘paid’ by the farmers in the valley. Why don’t they request the help of us farmers? How long can it take to dig a hole? We can bring our implements and workers and assist,” one farmer said.

Much to the relief of everyone, the power supply was reconnected on Monday evening.

“It took longer due to the strike and our not having enough labour, but by Monday at 18:25 the power was switched on and services were rendered to the community,” Mr Mapholi said. He estimated the cost of the damage from R150 000 upwards. Mr Mapholi said that the municipality did get the input of farmers.

“Farmers intervened and requested to assist us. As a council, we appreciate and welcome the efforts of the farmers,” Mr Mapholi said.

On Tuesday, Levubu residents expressed their gratitude for those who worked in spite of the strike.

“We do have appreciation for the municipality’s attempt under difficult circumstances,” Mr Callie Erasmus said.

Mr Mapholi said that wooden poles are in the process of being substituted with concrete pillars. A total of 22km have to be covered and the municipality has started with the first stretch of 8km on the line from Levubu to Mashau.