Villagers from around Paballong, Free State, help the Maluti-a-Phofung local municipality to restore electricity after a nine-day power outage. Photo: Tladi Moloi
By Tladi Moloi – this article was first published in GroundUp
Power Restoration after Outage: to an eastern part of the Free State on Saturday after nine days. Around a hundred residents assisted the Maluti-a-Phofung municipality in re-erecting electricity pylons toppled by strong winds.
Affected Villages and Duration of Outage: includes Monotsha, Makgalaneng, Tseki, Paballong, Mabolela, and Mahankeng villages after the main line poles at Paballong village fell down on 25 October.
Community Effort in Repairs: Villagers, primarily men, began working on the repairs on Wednesday and continued into Thursday, working through harsh conditions, including extreme heat and long hours into the night.
Support from Local Women and Businesses: Women from the community brought juice and bread to the workers, which had been donated by local immigrant spaza shop owners in the affected villages.
Challenging Terrain:
- The area where the poles fell was steep and rocky, making it difficult for the municipal crane to access.
- Villagers had to physically lift and hoist the poles with manual effort, working alongside municipal officials.
Initial Setback and Solution: On the first day, the poles were erected but subsequently fell down because they were too tall and unstable. As a solution, the poles were shortened to improve stability.
Resident’s Perspective: Lefu Mofokeng, a community member involved in the effort, shared his experience: “It was not an easy job but we had to sweat because we needed electricity.” He also mentioned the dedication of the team: “I spent the whole day in the sun and we did not have time to go home and eat. So the women in the community went out to ask for food from the local shops and they gave them bread and juice. I wish we could work like that every time we have a problem.”
Municipal Response and Gratitude: Thabo Kessah, the municipality spokesperson, expressed appreciation for the residents’ help: “We appreciate efforts by the residents in helping ease the burden of service delivery. Government alone cannot do this and it needs all of us to have hands on the deck and work together.” Kessah added a call for community responsibility: “This also translates into buying electricity and paying for services so that the quality of services can improve.”
