A lack of vital life-saving supplies of Medical Oxygen to hospitals and healthcare facilities threatens Eastern Cape

AFROX has been in urgent talks with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) after a power supply failure shut down the Port Elizabeth Air Separation Unit (ASU), which supplies vital Medical Oxygen to hospitals and clinics and industrial gases to key businesses across the Eastern Cape region, including the vital motor manufacturing industry.

The NMBM is responsible for power supplies to the Coega Development Zone where the Afrox ASU is situated. Since the explosion of the Recruitment substation on 11th March 2023, the NMBM provided an alternative power supply to Afrox and other affected CDZ tenants.

On 25th May 2023 a power interruption was experienced at the Afrox plant. The cause was communicated by NMBM as a faulty joint on the supply cable. Repairs were completed on 28 May 2023 upon which power was reinstated. However, Afrox could not successfully start the plant due to an undervoltage fault. The cable was retested but could not yield satisfactory results. The cable was repaired again at the same joint on 31st May 2023, but the Afrox plant could not be started successfully due to a persisting undervoltage fault.

Afrox confirms it has no indication how long this work will take or even when it will start. NMBM’s insurance claim regarding the Recruitment substation fire has not progressed since March 2023.

“When Afrox learned of the low voltage issue in the cable last week, it afforded the Municipality the opportunity to remedy the issue but with no success.” said Afrox. “During this time, we have supplied our PE customers out of the local storage tanks or sourced product from other suppliers in the region.

“Unfortunately, these alternative suppliers have advised they can no longer supply Afrox. This will have ongoing ramifications for critical healthcare customers, onsite equipment safety and safe handling and storage operations. We have been forced to declare strict force majeure measures even if customers can source product themselves.”