The collapse of two transmission towers in Nelson Mandela Bay has caused a major power outage affecting large parts of the city since last Thursday. Warnings about the deteriorating infrastructure were issued more than a year ago but went unheeded. The municipality attributes the incident to vandalism and strong winds, while residents demand rebates for the disruption.
On Thursday, January 22, 2026, two rusted pylons supporting the Bethelsdorp-Greenbushes 132kV overhead line collapsed in Nelson Mandela Bay, plunging large areas, especially in the west, into darkness. The incident also disrupted water supply by disabling pump stations. Strong winds of 150km/h contributed, alongside vandalism and apparent maintenance shortcomings.
Warnings about the precarious state of the transmission towers date back to November 2024, when the then head of the electricity department, Tholi Biyela, tabled a report to the council. It highlighted vandalism on the Greenbushes to Rowallan Park line and called for stabilization works. "The Bloemendal-Greenbushes Industrial and the Chatty-Rowallan Park 132kV overhead lines are being vandalised at present, and further works are needed to be done to stabilise the network," the report stated. An oversight visit that month confirmed the risks, but action was delayed.
This was not the first issue; four towers on the Arlington-Summerstrand 132kV line had collapsed earlier in 2024. Efforts to replace pylons, initiated in 2017, stalled due to supply chain problems, tender retractions, and changes in project managers. A contract awarded in September 2022 was later retracted, with advice in 2024 to cancel and deviate, but the process remained unresolved.
ACDP councillor Lance Grootboom, a former electricity MMC, pointed to inadequate maintenance: "There might be a measure of vandalism, but I strongly believe that it is a lack of maintenance as well." The municipality plans to open a vandalism case, with spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya stating they have proof, calling it a "new problem" and an "emerging risk" requiring security reviews.
Eskom, clarifying the infrastructure belongs to the municipality, is providing support. Operations manager Aron Rondganger noted in a video that some towers remain healthy, but parts were stolen, and assessments are ongoing. Initial restoration estimates of 14 days were revised to 10; by Monday, January 26, repairs were complete, with power returning intermittently to suburbs.
Resident Monty Uren, a long-time city employee, demanded rebates, saying, "Residents are paying their rates for this type of service. It’s unfair." Soyaya rejected this, citing the Municipal Finance Management Act and other laws that prohibit ad hoc relief without council approval, emphasizing focus on recovery and resilience.
