Eskom
Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd · State-owned utility (Eskom)
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal Emergency & Outage Numbers
Electricity provider outage lines, provincial agencies and local numbers for KwaZulu-Natal. In a life-threatening emergency, call 112 or 10177.
National numbers
112
Emergency from any cell phone – downed power lines, fire, medical emergencies
24/7
10111
South African Police Service (SAPS) emergency
24/7
10177
Ambulance and emergency medical services
24/7
0860 037 566
Eskom contact centre – report an outage or ask about your account
0800 112 722
Eskom Crime Line – report cable theft, vandalism and electricity theft
24/7
012 401 4600
NERSA (National Energy Regulator of South Africa) – regulator
Office hours
012 065 0969
National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) – main line, not for emergencies
Office hours
0861 555 777
Poisons Information Helpline (incl. carbon monoxide questions)
24/7
0870 949 774
NSRI Emergency Operations Centre (sea and water rescue)
24/7
0800 428 428
GBV Command Centre (gender-based violence)
24/7
0861 322 322
Lifeline national counselling line
24/7
0800 456 789
SADAG / Cipla Mental Health Helpline
24/7
KwaZulu-Natal agencies & providers
112 Downed lines, fire, CO or medical emergency (from a cell phone)Report the outage to your electricity provider (check your bill or meter if unsure)
eThekwini
eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban) · Municipal electricity distributor
uMhlathuze
City of uMhlathuze (Richards Bay) · Municipal electricity distributor
Provincial help
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Disaster Management Centre
Provincial disaster management centre: disaster declarations, shelters and recovery information.
National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA)
NERSA, the electricity regulator: lodge a complaint if Eskom or your municipality does not resolve an outage, billing or disconnection problem.
Service areas can be approximate – Eskom or the municipality on your electricity bill or prepaid meter is always right. Numbers were collected from official websites; tell us if one has changed. All emergency numbers →
Local lines
Durban (eThekwini)
Outage safety
- Downed lines
Stay at least 10 metres away from fallen wires and anything touching them. Call 112 from a cell phone, then Eskom or your municipality.
- Generators outside only
Run generators 6+ metres from doors and windows – never in a garage. Carbon monoxide is invisible and deadly. Keep petrol and diesel in approved containers away from the house.
- CO alarms
Keep battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms on every floor. If one sounds, get outside and call 112.
- Food safety
Keep fridge and freezer closed: food stays cold about 4 hours in the fridge and up to 48 hours in a full freezer. Freeze water bottles to keep the fridge cold during load-shedding.
- Unplug electronics
Unplug appliances and use surge protection – power surges when supply returns, especially after load-shedding, damage fridges, TVs and routers. Leave one light on so you know.
- Heat & cold
Contact your municipality or provincial disaster management centre for help. Never heat your home with a braai, gas stove, oven or paraffin heater in a closed room.
- Medical devices
If you rely on powered medical equipment, tell Eskom or your municipality, and have a backup plan such as an inverter or battery. Ask your doctor about backup for oxygen concentrators and similar devices.
- Traffic lights (robots) out
Treat an intersection with dark traffic lights as a four-way stop. Drive slowly during load-shedding.
More: Eskom load-shedding · NERSA
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