Spokesperson for the Moqhaka Local Municipality, Dika Kheswa, says the situation is now affecting the municipality’s ability to adequately provide water to its residents.

Without electricity, pumps that help distribute potable water into residents’ taps cannot function.

Hence the lack of water in the town and its Matlwangtlwang township.

“We can confirm Eskom personnel is on-site trying to resolve the problem. It is anticipated that both the supply of water and electricity will be restored later today” says the Moqhaka spokesperson.”

Meanwhile elsewhere in the Free State South Africa’s national power utility, Eskom, has announced it will be implementing local reduction in heavily populated areas for three hours on Tuesday.

READ MORE: Eskom turns off the lights in two key Free State districts
 
Some residents in the mining rich Lejweleputswa district municipality, which includes Welkom and Odendaalsrus, as well as those in the province’s tourist hub of the Thabo Mofutsanyana district municipality, will be left in the dark between 17:00 and 20:00 on Tuesday evening.

The specific affected areas include Thabong Township outside Welkom, and Mamafubedu Township in Petrus Steyn.

The utility says the load reduction implementation is meant to protect its infrastructure in high density areas that are prone to network overloading often exacerbated by illegal connections.

OFM News