Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa December 14/ January 15 | Page 36

MANAGING

By Carl Smit

How to Prepare for a

Power Outage
this Summer

Power outages highlight need for
property managers to access risks

I

n light of South Africa’s unstable elecricity supply
and recent warnings of power cuts this Summer,
Carl Smit, MD of Sandak-Lewin Property
Trust, urges property managers or body corporates of
residential developments to ensure that the necessary
contingency plans are put in place so that tenants are
equipped accordingly when outages occur.
“With load shedding becoming a regular occurrence
in the country, it is necessary for body corporates to
evaluate each facility within the development that relies
on electricity to ensure that residents are prepared for
the various challenges that come with power cuts, such
as inoperative security booms and alarms, electric gates
and lifts within the development,” he says.

“Security gates and booms can
malfunction if the power is cut,
leaving the complex vulnerable
to trespassers.”
Rebe adds that there are not many buildings higher
than three storeys that don’t have a lift. He highlights
lift failure as a major concern, which body corporates
need to ensure they are prepared for. “Lifts can be very
costly to fix. Furthermore, tenants can get stuck in a
lift, or worse get injured as a result of lift failure.”
He states that power outages can result in security
breaches. “Security gates and booms can malfunction
if the power is cut, leaving the complex vulnerable to
trespassers. Moreover, no lighting within the complex
during a power outage can also pose a safety threat
to tenants. Therefore, the need for physical security
barriers such as burglar bars and security gates on
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December 14 /January 15 SA Real Estate Investor

apartments doors and windows must seriously be
considered by property owners.”
Rebe says that in order to avoid issues such as this,
body corporates and property managers must consider
installing a back-up generator to ensure that these
issues are handled in the event of a power outage.
However, in many complexes the problem is the cost
of generators is as high as R500 000. That kind of
cost is too excessive for some body corporates to pay.
Moreover, he says that in some cases there may not be
a designated or safe area for a generator to be stored on
the common property.
Furthermore, Rebe adds that the body corporate
must alert tenants of scheduled power cuts, and
highlight what facilities will not be available or working
when the electricity supply is switched off, for example,
electrically motorised security gates and garage doors,
lifts, alarm systems, electrically heated water supplies,
appliances etc.

RESOURCES
Sandak-Lewin Property Trust
www.reimag.co.za