Evaton, Gauteng — Vulnerable elderly residents in Evaton, within the Emfuleni Local Municipality jurisdiction, say they have endured electricity outages for close to a decade, prompting urgent calls for government intervention. Pensioners report that broken or stolen transformers—left unrepaired for extended periods—have left entire households in darkness for up to ten years.
Community members describe a cascading infrastructure failure: when a single transformer malfunctions and repairs are delayed, residents reroute connections to neighboring units. This migration overloads adjacent transformers, triggering further failures. Frustrated by the pace of official response, some households have resorted to collectively purchasing replacement transformers using personal funds.
Daily life has become increasingly burdensome. Seniors state they must allocate portions of their fixed old-age grants not only for food but also to pay neighbors in electrified areas to charge basic devices such as lamps and mobile phones. “We have to go to somebody who charges our lamps, and they charge you for it,” one resident noted, highlighting the added financial strain on already limited incomes.
Safety concerns have intensified alongside the power crisis. Residents report that unlit streets provide cover for criminal activity, making it harder for vulnerable seniors to move safely after dark. “Crime, everything,” a community member stated, linking the lack of street lighting to heightened insecurity.
In response to community concerns, an Eskom spokesperson confirmed that reconnection efforts are progressing. The representative stated that approximately 560 customers were restored to the power grid during the previous financial year. Work is being implemented in phases, aligned with annually approved budgets that reflect available funding. The spokesperson added that infrastructure planning follows a five-year strategic framework to address systemic challenges in the area.
Emfuleni Municipality and Eskom have both been cited by residents as slow to respond to repeated requests for transformer repairs. While Eskom maintains it is aware of the situation and actively working toward resolution, Evaton’s elderly residents emphasize that time is critical. With winter approaching and temperatures falling, seniors are renewing appeals for accelerated repairs, citing heightened health risks associated with cold, darkness, and limited access to essential power-dependent services.