Eskom restores power to almost all storm affected areas in E Cape

Eskom has nearly restored all electricity supply that was disrupted by the deadly storm that swept across the Eastern Cape.

Three hundred thousand Eskom customers were cut off but of those, 274 000 have been reconnected.

Eskom’s General Manager in the Cape coastal cluster, Mbulelo Yedwa says their teams had to overcome a number of challenges to restore the electricity supply.

Yedwa says they are collaborating with local authorities and various stakeholders to support their recovery effort.

Meanwhile, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Town and Regional Planner, Professor Hangwelane Magidimisha-Chipungu says government must act with caution should it decides to relocate the families whose houses have been damaged by floods in parts of the Eastern Cape.

Seventy-nine people have so far died and scores others displaced following the heavy rains that hit the province this week.

Government has cautioned the affected communities that put their lives at risk by building their houses on riverbanks.

Most houses were submerged following the heavy rains that caused floods in Mthatha and Butterworth.

Magimisha-Tshipungu says authorities need to consider a number of factors before any decision to move the affected residents is taken.

“But if then we find that the area is at the point where we cannot resuscitate it. We cannot build on it. We cannot afford as the country to build on that particular piece of land. People need to be relocated. But we also need to come up with a sound relocation strategy. Where are you going to put them? Do you have a better way out or what is the cost implications? Do you have the resources? And are you not going to disturb their livelihoods? Because very often people in South Africa, they relocate themselves following economic activities of some sort. So, there should be a reason people they choose a specific area.”