CT blackout 'an Eskom problem'
2005-11-11 16:26
Cape Town - The metropolitan area of Cape Town was without power for almost two hours on Friday afternoon, apparently due to a technical problem related to the Koeberg power station. The power cut occurred just after 14:00.
Cape Town mayoral spokesperson Sputnik Ratau said that it was "an Eskom problem ... Eskom is working on it".
He said initially that the power would remain off for another two hours, but the power returned at 15:45 while he was being interviewed.
However, in other areas it still has not returned.
He said the mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo had not yet issued a statement but official opposition Democratic Alliance councillor Belinda Walker - and councillor for the city bowl and central business district of Cape Town - said that she understood that the power failure extended to Malmesbury, half an hour away from Cape Town.
Meanwhile at parliament, workers, MPs and journalists flooded out of the buildings on to Parliament Street. One parliamentary journalist was stuck in a lift for a short period until she was rescued by parliamentary staff.
Office workers were seen on the streets and drivers negotiated intersections carefully as most traffic lights were out.