Parts of Johannesburg have been stuck in the dark thanks to failing substations and stolen cables. City Power is dealing with outages in eastern suburbs like Bellevue, Kensington, and Cyrildene. The utility's COO, Charles Tlouane, admitted to a massive maintenance backlog worth billions but with only a tiny budget to fix it.
Problems at the Observatory, Bellevue, and Cleveland substations are causing the blackouts. Issues include water damage, equipment failure, and rampant cable theft. These repeated failures have sparked protests, with residents blocking roads with burning tires.
The Democratic Alliance has pressured Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero for a funded upgrade plan. They demand cable replacements and better security around infrastructure. Frustrated residents and small businesses are bearing the brunt of the unreliable supply.
City Power teams are working on repairs, but face a huge financial shortfall. The situation highlights the strain on the city's aging electricity grid. Communities are urged to report illegal connections and theft to help mitigate the crisis.
Problems at the Observatory, Bellevue, and Cleveland substations are causing the blackouts. Issues include water damage, equipment failure, and rampant cable theft. These repeated failures have sparked protests, with residents blocking roads with burning tires.
The Democratic Alliance has pressured Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero for a funded upgrade plan. They demand cable replacements and better security around infrastructure. Frustrated residents and small businesses are bearing the brunt of the unreliable supply.
City Power teams are working on repairs, but face a huge financial shortfall. The situation highlights the strain on the city's aging electricity grid. Communities are urged to report illegal connections and theft to help mitigate the crisis.
