Press Statement by Mavin Pillay- DA Councillor Thaba Chweu Local Municipality
-Residents and businesses in Sabie are constantly confronted with electricity outages.
-The municipality has not done enough to address this.
-We have asked the Mayor to come forward and deal with the matter.
4 September 2026
Release: Immediate
The DA in Thaba Chweu calls on the Executive Mayor, Friddah Nkadimeng, to come forward and address the electricity crisis in Sabie. For the past two weeks, residents of this town have been subjected to constant power outages due to cable theft, infrastructure vandalism, negligence and transformer repair delays.
The DA has extensively engaged municipal officials over these issues. Despite this, nothing much has changed, as a result, residents of this area have been without power for extended periods.
We view this as a blatant disregard for the needs of all residents. This is a clear indication of the municipality’s incompetence. Many households have reported significant damage to their electrical appliances, with some rendered completely unusable due to the unstable electricity supply.
It must be noted that this does not only compromise the safety of residents, but it also places a financial strain on them as they are forced to replace costly appliances. Businesses in Sabie have also been struggling to stay afloat as this severely affects their operations.
We cannot stand by while residents of Sabie , and the surrounding areas continue to suffer under these conditions. Reliable and stable electricity is not a luxury, it is a fundamental necessity, and the people of our communities deserve better.
The municipality’s leadership needs to step up and review all their infrastructure, and implement changes in order of priority. The municipality’s lethargic approach in dealing with this matter is really concerning.
The DA is ready to take over Thaba Chweu and implement effective measures, this will include improving the power grid’s reliability, outsourcing repairs and maintenance of electricity grids and networks with well-defined incentives.
With this in mind, we urge residents to take note of the municipality’s shortcomings and make the right decision at the upcoming Local Government Elections on November 4. The DA is the only viable party for Thaba Chweu residents, and we will continue to advocate for practical and sustainable solutions.
For media inquiries:
Mavin Pillay
DA Councillor Thaba Chweu Local Municipality
073 668 9074