POTCHEFSTROOM FACES POWER PROBLEMS

March 26, 2026 15 1

Abygail Smit

@abysmit06

Monday night, 23 March, students in Potchefstroom were abruptly disturbed by a sudden power outage that lasted far longer than expected.

On Friday, 20 March, residents on West Campus were informed that remedial testing and fault-finding activities would be conducted to ensure reliable electrical systems and proper operation during backup power conditions. Students living on West Campus were further informed that these testing methods may cause power outages on Saturday between 09:00 and 17:00 and on Sunday between 08:00 and 16:00.

Although these times were communicated to students, the unexpected power outage that occurred on Monday night has left students to rely on campus facilities for necessities. According to a statement released by JB Marks municipality on Tuesday, 24 March, technical teams have been working continuously to restore power. The statement also says that significant progress has been made, including the removal of a damaged conductor and the relocation of jumpers on a specific line that supplies electricity to the Central Business District (CBD) station. Around 05:50 on Tuesday morning the JB Marks team experienced difficulties while working on the final structure. Unfortunately, the amount of remaining work exceeded the available equipment JB Marks had. Additional assistance has been provided, and a crane is being arranged to assist the team in repairing and restoring electricity. When the statement was released, areas including Bult, Baillie Park, Tuscany Ridge, Van Der Hoff Park and Mooivallei Park were still without electricity.

With no electricity at home, students have been forced to use facilities on campus to charge their devices, buy food and even iron their clothes. The number of students on campus, especially graduates and their families, has caused overcrowding, leading to students struggling to find places to study or work. Students also didn’t have the opportunity to cook or prepare for the following day because the power outage was so unexpected. A disruption like this, near the end of the month, has thus created financial stress on students who plan their meals and activities.

The NWU also released a statement on Tuesday, 24 March, explaining that the campus may experience power outages from 18:00 to 19:00 due to further testing and fault-finding activities taking place on West Campus. These power outages naturally cause computers to shut down, air conditioners to stop, lights to go off and the NWU Wi-Fi to shut down, which leads to the inconvenience of every student and staff member at the NWU. A statement released by the NWU said, “These activities are critical to identify and resolve system faults and ensure reliable backup power supply to the institution.”

There are major power problems in Potchefstroom as well as on the NWU campus. We hope that the continuous testing and fault-finding activities provide an answer to the NWU staff and that the issue will quickly be resolved. As for the power problems in Potchefstroom, students should know that they are not alone and that the campus does have basic facilities for charging devices and warming up food. Nevertheless, we hope this issue resolves itself soon.