When nature intervenes: How bees, storms and old pylons left Lenasia South in the dark

Almost two days without power and then came the bees

For residents of Lenasia South, the lights finally flickered back on just before 1am on Wednesday, ending a frustrating stretch of nearly 50 hours without electricity. But what delayed the final fix wasn’t only storm damage or faulty equipment. It was a swarm of bees.

Yes, bees.

Eskom technicians restoring power after severe weather were forced to pause their work and call in a beekeeper to safely smoke out bees that had settled inside three electricity pylons. Only once the buzzing occupants were removed could repairs resume.

Storms, lightning and a cascading failure

The outage began on Monday after severe weather swept through the area. Lightning struck electricity pylons feeding Lenasia South, triggering a widespread blackout across several extensions of the suburb.

City Power was the first to respond, carrying out initial checks. However, the utility later confirmed the fault lay on Eskom’s side of the network. During restoration attempts, a current transformer reportedly blew, compounding delays and pushing residents deeper into darkness.

Businesses closed, families under pressure

As hours turned into days, the impact spread quickly. Small shops and takeaways without backup generators shut their doors, losing income and customers. On social media, residents shared stories of spoiled groceries, disrupted routines and mounting anxiety.

Some families raised more serious concerns including elderly relatives and patients who rely on electricity-powered oxygen machines. Posts calling for urgent intervention circulated widely, with many asking how such prolonged outages could continue in a major urban area.

A surprise obstacle with a long history

When Eskom teams returned to site, they encountered an unexpected problem: bees had made homes inside multiple pylons. It’s believed the swarm had been there for nearly two years.

For safety reasons, technicians waited roughly three hours while a beekeeper smoked out the bees, allowing work to continue without harming the insects or putting workers at risk.

Eventually, Eskom confirmed full restoration to Lenasia South Extensions 1 to 4, as well as Daxina Hospital, Lenasia South Hospital and surrounding areas, thanking residents for their patience.

A community already on edge

This incident taps into deeper frustration in Lenasia South and nearby Ennerdale. In recent years, residents have endured repeated power cuts linked to extreme weather and cable theft. In 2024, parts of the area were left without electricity for almost three days after criminals stole hundreds of metres of cable from substations.

That history has fuelled growing anger so much so that last year residents openly vowed to express their dissatisfaction at the ballot box over ongoing service delivery failures.

Ramadan adds urgency to stability

With the Islamic holy month of Ramadan set to begin on 17 February, uninterrupted electricity has taken on added importance in this predominantly Muslim community. From preparing meals before dawn to breaking fasts after sunset, reliable power is more than a convenience, it’s part of daily religious life.

After bees, storms and blown transformers, residents are hoping the worst is behind them at least for now. But the outage has left a lingering question: how many more surprises can aging infrastructure throw at communities already stretched thin?

{Source: The Citizen}

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