UPDATE: Gautrain services have been restored following delays owing to load shedding. Gautrain tweeted just after 10:00 on Friday: “We are pleased to advise that power has been restored and the train service is now fully operational. We apologise for the inconvenience caused by the service disruption this morning.”
Gautrain passengers that were left stranded on Friday morning following load shedding took to social media to vent their anger.
Eskom suddenly announced on Thursday evening that it will implement Stage 2 load shedding from 22:00 until 05:00 on Friday morning, Fin24 reported.
On Friday morning, Gautrain spokesperson Kesagee Nayager said: “Unfortunately, due to a power outage, there is no train service between Marlboro and Park Station [on Friday] morning.
“The airport service is also affected and we have no train service between Sandton and OR Tambo.
“We urge passengers to please make alternate transport arrangements until further notice and we apologise for the inconvenience.”
Gautrain said on its Twitter account that an app notification and SMS were sent regarding the delays.
According to Eskom, the load shedding was because on Thursday it lost three additional generation units and had to use its emergency reserves in order to meet demand throughout the day.
The emergency demands, therefore, became critically low.
On Wednesday Eskom warned that the power system continued to remain “severely constrained and vulnerable” and that the possibility of load shedding remained.
Traffic in several suburbs such as Bryanston, Fourways, Paulshof and Rivonia, among others, was severely backloggen on Friday morning owing to power outages.
City Power said on Friday it was “currently experiencing equipment failure at Brynorth substation” following the load shedding.
“The problem has caused power failure in Bryanston and surrounds. CP technicians are attending to the outage. No ETR available from site as yet,” City Power tweeted.
Gautrain passengers took to social media to express their outrage.
2019-11-08 09:31 / Riaan Grobler
News24 – Original Article