Residents in several communities north of Tshwane should prepare for a full-day power outage this weekend as Eskom undertakes maintenance on its electricity infrastructure.

The power utility confirmed that customers in Ga-Rankuwa, Mabopane, Motlhotlung and Winterveld will experience a scheduled electricity interruption on Sunday, 15 March. The planned outage will last for 14 hours while technicians perform maintenance work on the distribution network.

Eskom planned maintenance to affect several communities

Eskom said the interruption will begin early in the morning and continue throughout the day.

“The outage will affect Ga-Rankuwa, Mabopane, Motlhotlung and Winterveldt on Sunday, 15 March,” the utility said in a notice to customers.

The work will start at 7:00 and continue until 21:00, leaving households and businesses without electricity for most of the day. Eskom explained that the shutdown is required so that technicians can safely work on the network infrastructure.

“The interruption in electricity supply is necessary to perform essential maintenance on our distribution power lines,” Eskom said.

Safety warning for residents

During the outage, Eskom urged residents to remain cautious when handling electrical appliances.

The power utility warned that electricity could be restored at any time once maintenance is completed. For this reason, residents should treat all electrical equipment as though it is still live.

“In the interest of safety, customers are advised to treat all electrical appliances as live at all times during the power supply outage,” Eskom said.

Eskom apologises for inconvenience

Eskom acknowledged that the planned interruption may cause inconvenience for residents and businesses in the affected communities.

The utility expressed appreciation to customers for their patience while the maintenance work takes place.

“Eskom would like to thank you for your cooperation and apologises for any inconvenience that may be caused by this maintenance,” the power utility said.

However, Eskom also noted that the maintenance schedule could still change if unforeseen circumstances occur.

“Should circumstances beyond the control of Eskom arise, the planned electricity maintenance may not proceed as communicated,” the utility added.

Residents are encouraged to plan accordingly and prepare for the long outage by charging devices and making alternative arrangements where necessary.