SANDU Issues 72-Hour Ultimatum Over 17-Day Power Outage at Middelburg Military Base

• SANDU lawyers sent a letter of demand to Defence Minister Angie Motshekga over a prolonged blackout at the 4 SA Infantry Battalion
• About 100 residents, including military families and children, have been left without electricity and warm water during freezing winter weather
• The SANDF and the local municipality gave conflicting accounts of who is responsible for the ongoing power disruption

MPUMALANGA — The South African National Defence Union (SANDU) has given the Department of Defence 72 hours to restore electricity at the 4 SA Infantry Battalion in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, or face protests, picketing, and legal action.

According to News24, SANDU's legal representatives delivered a formal letter of demand to Defence Minister Angie Motshekga after the base experienced a continuous power blackout lasting 17 days. SANDU spokesperson Pikkie Greeff said the outage has left roughly 100 residents stranded without electricity or warm water during the coldest months of the year. Those affected include active military personnel, their families, and children living on the base. The families are affected by the cold weather the South African Weather Service warned of recently.

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The union argued that the prolonged failure to supply basic utilities amounts to a violation of its members' constitutional right to dignified living and working conditions.

"Failing which, we hold instructions to take the legal steps necessary. Our clients have indicated that they are considering all their lawful remedies that include legal action, protest action, petitions and picketing," the letter of demand stated.

SANDF and municipality offer conflicting accounts

South African National Defence Force (SANDF) spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini attributed the outage to a fault in municipal infrastructure and confirmed that technicians had been deployed to address the problem, with backup generators also sent to the base.

However, Steve Tshwete Local Municipality spokesperson Sibisiso Chauke flatly contradicted that account, stating that the municipality had no knowledge of any power disruption affecting the base. The conflicting statements leave the cause of the blackout and the chain of responsibility unclear, with no resolution formally announced at the time of publication.

MKP questions SANDF deployment

In a related article, Briefly News reported on the uMkhonto weSizwe Party's concerns regarding the effectiveness of the SANDF's deployment in the Western Cape amid persistent gang violence. The situation remains dire, as a recent incident involving the tragic death of an off-duty SANDF soldier underscores the ongoing risks faced by both law enforcement and local communities.

Source: Briefly News