A Week in Potch WhatsApp: Power, Pet Alerts, and Pending Bills
- Karen Scheepers
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
This report covers the key community discussions and service delivery alerts shared across Potchefstroom WhatsApp groups from Friday, December 5, to Wednesday, December 10, 2025. The focus of the week was predominantly on navigating persistent municipal system errors, managing scattered power outages, and coordinating essential community services and voter registration drives.
💻 Municipal Account System Issues
The issues surrounding the municipal online account system, Cabledocs, continued to be a major point of frustration and discussion.
Access Problems Persist: Multiple reports indicated that residents were still unable to download their municipal statements, with the Cabledocs system remaining partially or completely inaccessible throughout the reporting period.
Official Guidance: Communication from municipal representatives acknowledged the system failure, which was reportedly due to a problem with the service provider located in Johannesburg. Residents were advised to reset their passwords and check their spam folders for the confirmation email. A key instruction shared was to use last month’s reference number when attempting to access statements, as there were reported problems with the new reference numbers being issued.
Billing Anomalies: The unreliability of the system led to residents receiving incorrect and unusually high account reminders, with one user noting a substantial, erroneous amount, amidst suggestions that the system may have been compromised.
⚡️ Scattered Power Outages and Reporting
Power interruptions were less concentrated than in the previous week but remained a daily occurrence in various suburbs.
Affected Areas: Outages were reported in Wilgeboom, Chris Hani Street, James Moroka Street, Sangiro Street (Potch Central), and Kamp Street. The CBD saw an interruption that was swiftly resolved, while other areas required reporting to the electricians.
Standardised Reporting Procedure: A comprehensive, multi-step guide on reporting power faults was circulated multiple times. The procedure emphasised checking one's own distribution board and checking with neighbours before contacting the municipal electricity department for an official report. This initiative sought to streamline the reporting process and ensure municipal electricians received actionable information rather than simple group chat announcements.
🗑️ Service Delivery and Community Logistics
Essential municipal and community services featured briefly in the chats:
Refuse Removal: An alert on Monday evening confirmed that the refuse removal truck was still busy collecting in Bailliepark late into the evening, indicating potential schedule delays. An earlier query regarding refuse dumped on Nieuwe Street suggested that trucks might have had route difficulties.
Voter Registration Drives: Local ward councillors actively used the groups to announce opportunities for residents to interact with them, update their addresses, and register to vote in the upcoming 2026 Municipal Elections. Consultation points included Toro in Van Der Hoffpark and Bailliepark SPAR.
🐾 Pet Safety and Community Assistance
The groups served as an active hub for connecting residents with lost pets:
Multiple Reports: Several posts concerned lost dogs, including two smaller dogs seen near the service centre and a black Labrador named Shadow who slipped out in Baillie Park near NG Vyfhoek. The community response was quick, with one dog owner confirming their pet was safely home shortly after posting.
Other Animals: The community's reach extended to finding an African Grey parrot/African Grey who was found sitting in a tree in Van Alphen Street.
🔫 Firearm Licensing Information
A discussion emerged regarding the process of renewing firearm licenses in light of potential new legislation. An individual shared contact information for a retired local firearms office employee who is now assisting applicants with the required documentation.
Final Chat
The period of December 5th to 10th was characterised by residents working around persistent administrative setbacks, particularly with the Cabledocs system, while maintaining active vigilance over service delivery issues and safety. The use of the groups by municipal representatives for sharing standardised reporting protocols and facilitating civic engagement illustrates the platform's vital role in local governance and community coordination.
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