Power Outages and Women's Leadership Mark Recent JB Marks Municipality Developments
Recent official communications from the municipality highlight a dual operational focus for the Potchefstroom region: addressing unexpected technical disruptions caused by substation vandalism, and continuing long-term economic empowerment initiatives carried out in partnership with tertiary institutions and regional business networks.
Vandalism at Poortjiedam Substation Triggers Power Outage in Promosa and Mohadin
On Friday, 28 August 2026, the JB Marks Local Municipality issued a public alert regarding an ongoing power outage affecting the residential communities of Promosa and Mohadin. According to municipal reports, the electricity supply failure began during the early morning hours and impacted homes and local businesses across both areas.
A subsequent site investigation conducted by the municipal technical team confirmed that the outage was caused by deliberate acts of vandalism at the Poortjiedam Substation. Technical personnel were immediately deployed to assess the physical damage and establish a safe operational strategy for carrying out repairs. Owing to the complex nature of the structural damage, municipal officials were unable to provide an immediate estimated time of restoration. The municipality requested patience from affected residents while maintenance crews worked to secure the site and restore power as safely and quickly as possible.
NWU Business School Hosts JB Marks Women in Business Workshop
To promote regional economic activity, the JB Marks Department of Local Economic and Rural Development partnered with the North-West University (NWU) Business School to host the JB Marks Women in Business Workshop on 27 August 2026 at the NWU Potchefstroom Campus.
The workshop convened local female entrepreneurs for a day of practical business training, networking, and strategic development. A key objective of the program was encouraging participants to leverage regional economic assets, particularly within the local tourism value chain, to build sustainable commercial enterprises.
Prof Joseph Lekunze delivered welcoming remarks on behalf of the NWU Business School, followed by Dr Brenda Roberts-Tebejane, Director for Local Economic Development at JB Marks Local Municipality, who outlined regional commercial opportunities. Keynote speaker Adunda Louw shared insights from her entrepreneurial journey, addressing the practical challenges of building a business from the ground up.
The session featured structured presentations from several sector specialists:
Business Sustainability: Dr Theresa Lisita discussed strategies for creating commercial models designed to endure beyond a single generation.
Entrepreneurial Well-being: Thoko Nkosi highlighted the importance of mental health management for enterprise owners.
Institutional Support: Rapelang Motlagomang provided details regarding government institutions and funding opportunities available to provincial entrepreneurs.
Digital Strategy: Precious Khumalo of Table Treats emphasized the necessity of maintaining a robust digital marketing presence for modern enterprise growth.
Municipal Representatives Participate in Legacy in Action Leadership Forum
Extending its collaboration with academic and private sector organizations, the JB Marks Department of Local Economic and Rural Development participated in the Legacy in Action: Empowering the Next Generation of Women Leaders program. Hosted by the NWU Business School alongside the Businesswomen’s Association of South Africa (BWA), the forum convened established and emerging female figures to discuss organizational impact, leadership pipelines, and long-term socio-economic legacy.
Lesego Legwete, Gender Coordinator in the Office of the Executive Mayor, served as a panelist representing the local authority. Legwete, whose administrative portfolio encompasses municipal initiatives on gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and general women's empowerment, contributed community-focused insights to the panel. The program provided an opportunity for local government officials, academic leaders, and commercial stakeholders to build relationships aimed at advancing female economic participation across the municipality.
By addressing utility disruptions alongside long-term economic development programs, the JB Marks Local Municipality continues its routine administrative work in Potchefstroom. Moving forward, the municipality's focus remains on restoring affected infrastructure while expanding partnerships with academic and business institutions to support local enterprise growth.
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