Desperate Thornville residents struggle without electricity and food due to Eskom's failure
Sixty-four-year-old Nokuzola Makhaye, who suffers from a stroke and other ailments, was unable to take her daily medication this week. Her inability to take the essential medication was due to not having a proper meal, which was a direct result of Eskom’s delayed restoration of electricity.
Makhaye (not her real name) is one of a few residents in Thornville, Pietermaritzburg, who were plunged into darkness after a heavy thunderstorm struck the city on Tuesday evening.
The extended power outage left Makhaye in a difficult situation. Not only was she unable to cook, but the lack of electricity for over two days (Thursday, following a full day and two nights without power) meant that perishable food in her refrigerator spoiled due to the high temperatures, which reached 30°C during the day and dropped only to 21°C at night on Wednesday.
While awaiting Eskom’s restoration of power on Wednesday and Thursday, she was forced to substitute her usual routine. To take her necessary medication, she had to eat slices of bread and wash them down with sugar water instead of her customary tea.
“Every morning, I wake up to eat porridge, which my grandchildren prepare for me, but for two days now I have not eaten my porridge.
“I had to eat bread and sugar water yesterday three times (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and this morning (Wednesday) so that I can have something in my stomach and be able to take my medication,” she said.
She said she had not taken a bath in fear of cold water.
Another victim of the power outage, who refused to be named, said his children had to go school after taking a cold bath in the morning and without breakfast.
“Even that water has run out because in order to draw water, I have to use a pump, which operates with electricity.
“I cannot flush the toilet, and the smell in the house is becoming unbearable,” he said.
He is also concerned about meat and vegetables, which he said were also starting to rot.
“If the electricity does not come back today (Wednesday), I will definitely have to find money to buy groceries, and where do I find that money at this time of the month,” he said.
Eskom’s KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Joyce Zingoni is yet to respond to questions sent to her on Thursday morning.
The story will be updated soon after receiving the response.
bongani.hans@inl.co.za