A blackout enveloped the entire town from 19:00 till 21:30 on Wednesday after the municipality requested Eskom to manage loadshedding from June 1.<\/p>\n
The request was made because Eskom announced the future possibility of 24-hour loadshedding schedules, which would have an enormous financial impact on both the municipality and tax paying residents who are facing a 13% rise in electricity tariffs from July 1.<\/p>\n
If a 24-hour shedule is announced, thousands in overtime will have to be paid to electricians responsible for switching between substations.<\/p>\n
Up to now, residents could rely on the municipal schedule which was managed with precision by the town’s electricians, of which there is no short supply.<\/p>\n
The electricians presently finish work around 16:00 and stay at the municipality until 22:00 to manage switching on the area schedule, which Middelburg residents have grown accustomed to.<\/p>\n
The overtime implications with this arrangement is already steep, and if electricians had to be on call for loadshedding 24\/7, financial implications would be grave.<\/p>\n
It would also negatively impact on maintenance of the electrical network since electricians would be on loadshedding duty day and night.<\/p>\n
In stead of area loadshedding, the entire town will now be dark for between two and four hours.<\/p>\n
A loadshedding schedule for Middelburg is already online and can be viewed via internet on loadshedding.eskom.co.za<\/p>\n
While mayoral committee member, Ms Rehana Pilodia blamed Eskom for the blackout on Facebook on Wednesday, Eskom spokesperson, Ms Juanita Vogel, blamed the municipality.<\/p>\n
Both Ms Pilodia and Ms Vogel was unaware of the arrangements between the municipality and Eskom, much like the rest of us.<\/p>\n
A municipal advertisement informing residents of the change was however published in the Observer last week.<\/p>\n
In it, residents are advised to expect interruptions at any time of the day, for up to 2\u00bd hours, though Ms Vogel says it may be four hours at a time.<\/p>\n
Residents are up in arms over the fact that eMalahleni, who owes hundreds of millions in power debts, are still enjoying area loadshedding while Middelburg must endure blackouts.<\/p>\n
Ms Vogel confirmed that eMalahleni’s area loadshedding was being managed by Eskom.<\/p>\n
Eskom is however simply complying with the municipality’s request for a blackout of the entire Middelburg network.<\/p>\n
eMalahelni also reached a 24-month payment agreement with Eskom for the settling of outstanding debts, leading to the power giant abandoning its plans to switch off eMalahleni’s network on June 11.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Clubville residents have been enduring blackouts since Tuesday due to electrical cables being damaged by water services contractors busy installing new waterlines there.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday Clubville residents were without electricity from 15:00 to 19:00, and on Wednesday from 17:00 till 02:00 Thursday morning.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dwu32cgxelq1c.cloudfront.net\/local_newspapers\/sites\/92\/2015\/06\/kra_650197859-270x203.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t