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| Nelson Mandela's Johannesburg home hit by power cut | Nelson Mandela's Johannesburg home hit by power cut |
| (12 days later) | |
| The house where Nelson Mandela is receiving intensive care was plunged into darkness by a power cut which has crippled parts of Johannesburg, a South African newspaper reported . A generator had to be used at the 95-year-old former president's house but officials denied that his health had been put at risk. | The house where Nelson Mandela is receiving intensive care was plunged into darkness by a power cut which has crippled parts of Johannesburg, a South African newspaper reported . A generator had to be used at the 95-year-old former president's house but officials denied that his health had been put at risk. |
| Electricity was lost in the upmarket suburb of Houghton at 8pm on Wednesday, according to the Star newspaper. "When the Star arrived at the former president's home at 8.45pm, a generator could be heard inside the property," it said. "At 9.30pm, subcontractors working for City Power arrived at 11th Avenue and began offloading a large generator from a truck. It was then wired up to a substation a street near Mandela's home. | Electricity was lost in the upmarket suburb of Houghton at 8pm on Wednesday, according to the Star newspaper. "When the Star arrived at the former president's home at 8.45pm, a generator could be heard inside the property," it said. "At 9.30pm, subcontractors working for City Power arrived at 11th Avenue and began offloading a large generator from a truck. It was then wired up to a substation a street near Mandela's home. |
| "At 11.16pm, a back-up generator set up at the Mandela residence was switched off and all the lights on the streets were back on." the newspaper reported. | "At 11.16pm, a back-up generator set up at the Mandela residence was switched off and all the lights on the streets were back on." the newspaper reported. |
| The South African presidency insisted that Mandela was not affected by the outage: standby facilities kicked in to ensure his medical equipment worked uninterrupted. | The South African presidency insisted that Mandela was not affected by the outage: standby facilities kicked in to ensure his medical equipment worked uninterrupted. |
| Mandela only returned home on Sunday after spending 12 weeks in hospital in Pretoria, where he was admitted with a recurring lung infection. Officials say his condition remains critical and sometimes unstable. | Mandela only returned home on Sunday after spending 12 weeks in hospital in Pretoria, where he was admitted with a recurring lung infection. Officials say his condition remains critical and sometimes unstable. |
| Mandela's house has been reconfigured so he can continue to receive intensive care. He is reportedly in a sterilised upstairs room overlooking his garden and being treated by the same medical personnel as at the hospital. | Mandela's house has been reconfigured so he can continue to receive intensive care. He is reportedly in a sterilised upstairs room overlooking his garden and being treated by the same medical personnel as at the hospital. |
| The power cut is not the first hiccup to worry an already anxious nation. When Mandela was hospitalised on 8 June, the military ambulance carrying him to Pretoria broke down owing to engine trouble. In bitter pre-dawn cold, South Africa's first black president was transferred on a stretcher to another military ambulance after reportedly about 40 minutes. The presidency denied that his life had been put at risk. | The power cut is not the first hiccup to worry an already anxious nation. When Mandela was hospitalised on 8 June, the military ambulance carrying him to Pretoria broke down owing to engine trouble. In bitter pre-dawn cold, South Africa's first black president was transferred on a stretcher to another military ambulance after reportedly about 40 minutes. The presidency denied that his life had been put at risk. |
| Last month, a notice was attached to Mandela's home, warning that he owed 6,468.48 rand (£430) in unpaid bills and risked being cut off and taken to court. Officials admitted they had sent the pre-termination notice to the wrong address and apologised. | Last month, a notice was attached to Mandela's home, warning that he owed 6,468.48 rand (£430) in unpaid bills and risked being cut off and taken to court. Officials admitted they had sent the pre-termination notice to the wrong address and apologised. |
| South Africans are no strangers to candle-lit evenings. The latest power cut was caused by a strike at the provider City Power, which said it could take two or three days to restore electricity to all affected areas. | South Africans are no strangers to candle-lit evenings. The latest power cut was caused by a strike at the provider City Power, which said it could take two or three days to restore electricity to all affected areas. |
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