Lenasia South blackout leaves families scrambling as food spoils and oxygen runs low

Lenasia South blackout leaves families scrambling as food spoils and oxygen runs low

When the lights went out in Lenasia South at around 2am on Sunday, many residents assumed it would be another short-lived outage triggered by a summer storm. More than 24 hours later, frustration had turned into fear, anger and real financial loss.

For households dependent on electricity for medical equipment, food storage and small businesses, the prolonged blackout has been devastating.

A storm, then silence from the grid

The outage struck during a severe thunderstorm, cutting power across Lenasia South and nearby areas in the early hours of the morning. By daylight, the reality had sunk in: fridges were warming up, freezers were defrosting and backup plans were running thin.

Several local shops and takeaways, many without generators were forced to close, losing an entire day’s trade in a suburb where informal and small-scale businesses are the backbone of the local economy.

Food wasted, money lost

For many families, the timing couldn’t have been worse. Month-end grocery shopping had just been done.

Residents told of throwing away meat, fish and frozen vegetables that didn’t survive the outage. In a community where food budgets are carefully planned, that loss hits hard.

“It’s not just food,” one resident said. “It’s money we can’t get back.”

Oxygen machines raise the stakes

Beyond inconvenience and cost, the outage has raised serious health concerns. One resident, Yasmin, publicly pleaded for answers on social media, explaining that her mother relies on home oxygen and that the portable backup supply was running out.

Her post echoed a growing anxiety among families caring for elderly or chronically ill relatives a reminder that electricity cuts are not just about comfort, but survival.

City Power and Eskom point fingers

City Power said early investigations found no fault on its own network, attributing the problem to Eskom infrastructure. According to City Power, a current transformer blew during the restoration process, complicating repairs.

Eskom teams only arrived on site around 6:30pm on Monday, more than a day after the outage began. While technicians were still investigating, Eskom confirmed it could not yet provide an estimated time for restoration.

The lack of clear timelines has only fuelled residents’ frustration.

Social media becomes the complaint desk

As the hours dragged on, residents turned to social media to vent, plead and demand accountability. Posts tagged City Power and Eskom flooded timelines, reflecting a broader national exhaustion with prolonged outages and vague updates.

More than just a local outage

The blackout affects Lenasia South, Extensions 1–4, Daxina Hospital, Lenasia South Hospital and surrounding areas, amplifying concern over how critical facilities cope during extended power failures.

For many residents, this outage feels like part of a bigger story, one where storms expose fragile infrastructure, and communities are left waiting while institutions negotiate responsibility.

Until the power returns, Lenasia South remains in limbo, counting losses, guarding medical devices, and asking a familiar question: how long is too long to be left in the dark?

{Source: The Citizen}

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