Pretoria: The eThekwini Municipality's Recreation and Parks Directorate, in coordination with the City's Emergency Services, has mobilized teams to address numerous incidents across the city caused by strong winds that led to power outages.
According to South African Government News Agency, the strong winds on Saturday afternoon and early evening left several communities without electricity, resulting in multiple incidents of fallen trees and storm damage city-wide. The municipality's Electricity and Energy Directorate reported attending to various power outages, mainly on overhead medium-voltage circuits, which are particularly susceptible to strong winds. Tree branches and flying objects, such as roof sheets, can damage this infrastructure, leading to outages.
The affected areas include Baphehli, Folweni, Amaoti, Waterloo, Moriah, Klaarwater, Savannah Park, Inanda, Gunjini, Redcliffe, Malukazi, KwaNdengezi, Clermont, Umlazi C, and Thornwood. Technical teams worked overnight to restore power to several communities, and efforts continue to address the remaining outages.
The municipality emphasized that restoring electricity supply can be time-consuming, requiring switching staff and technical teams to inspect affected circuits and identify faults. Necessary repairs must be completed before safely restoring supply. Teams are also dealing with incidents of fallen trees and other storm-related damages, clearing debris from locations such as Masabalala Yengwa Avenue, Currie Road, and Prospect Road, among others.
Fortunately, no injuries have been reported. The Durban Metro Police Service is managing traffic along affected routes, and motorists are advised to follow officers' directions. Fire Services are also addressing a damaged billboard that poses a risk near the N2 and Queen Nandi Drive.
The municipality stated that the full extent of the damage remains unknown, with ongoing assessments. Motorists are urged to avoid affected routes, reduce speed, and remain vigilant for fallen trees and debris. The public is warned against approaching fallen electricity cables and is advised to secure loose objects around homes. Residents are encouraged to report incidents to the Disaster Management Centre.
The municipality will continue to monitor the situation and provide further updates as assessments are completed.