It is evident that weather patterns are changing throughout the world, with frightening consequences.
In South Africa there has been an unusual series of changes in the weather, like the recent strong snowfall between Jhb and Durban more towards the Drakensburg area. This past Tuesday night (Oct 8) many residents in Tshwane and other parts of Gauteng felt an unusual strong wind coupled with a short but fierce storm, causing some damage all over. In the nearby Itireleng informal settlement, residents felt the strong wind and storm followed by a sudden power break, plunging the area into darkness, only to discover the following morning that a number of electrical wires had burnt and one of the transformers had collapsed due to strong wind blowing on Tuesday night. A resident from Itireleng, 39 year old France Maepa told the Laudium Sun, “On Tuesday late afternoon when I came back from work and after having my meal, I was relaxing with my wife and kids in the evening watching TV. All of a sudden there was a strong wind, together with a short storm which started at around 8pm, then all of a sudden the electricity in the area started to cut off and it finally went dead. I thought it was the usual power outages or load reduction that we have in the area, so I did not bother much about it and not long after that we all went to bed. When I woke up in the morning, the electricity had still not come back, so I then realised that the blackout was not because of load reduction and had to be something more serious. While on my way out, I saw a nearby electrical transformer had fallen down and a lot of live electrical wires were hanging, with some even laying on the ground and others burnt. When I asked the people gathered near the transformer what had happened and why the electrical transformer was down, they told me that the transformer seems to have blown when it collapsed from the top of the pole where it was mounted, because of the heavy strong winds and storm which took place on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, Council workers came and fixed the loose wires that were all over, with the electricity in certain part of Itireleng being restored, with our part of the area still not having electricity. It is now 2 days that we do not have electricity and we just hope that the Council workers will fix up the problem soon because life without electricity is difficult. I appeal to the Council and the Councillor to communicate with the residents living in the area with updates as to what progress is being made concerning the repairs. Our children are suffering without electricity.
*The electrical transformer that collapsed due to the strong winds on Tuesday night (Oct 8).*
When it is dark, criminals also take advantage of the situation and attack those workers who come back late at night, by mugging them.”
*Itireleng resident, France Maepa, said his kids are struggling without electricity.*
Several residents living in the area, echoed the sentiments of France and told the Laudium Sun that they were eagerly waiting for the Council workers to reinstall and repair the fallen transformer.