Nelson Mandela Bay has been hit by its third major power outage in recent months, following collapses in August 2024 and January 2026. A transmission pylon on the Chelsea-Arlington-Walmer-Summerstrand line fell due to gale-force winds, leaving large parts of Gqeberha without electricity for up to 21 days.
The latest incident in Nelson Mandela Bay's series of power disruptions occurred when a transmission pylon on the Chelsea-Arlington-Walmer-Summerstrand line collapsed earlier this week, attributed to gale-force winds by the municipality. This marks the third significant outage in recent months, after a four-pylon failure in August 2024 and the collapse of two rusted towers on the Bethelsdorp-Greenbushes line in January.
Large areas of Gqeberha, including vulnerable sites like the Cheshire Home, face prolonged blackouts of up to 21 days. Deidre Burger, manager of the Cheshire Home housing over 60 disabled adults, described the dire situation: “Essential care for residents with physical disabilities or wheelchair users requires nurse bell systems, proper food storage, and medically powered equipment like ventilators.”
This event highlights persistent infrastructure vulnerabilities in the region, exacerbated by severe weather, as seen in prior outages.