On March 17, a fire at the Prospect Substation in Johannesburg's inner city led to yet another power cut affecting vast areas, including City and Suburban, Marshalltown, Selby, Salisbury Claims, and Wemmer.
The power outage comes on the heels of multiple similar incidents. These outages, caused by infrastructure faults and theft, have become alarmingly frequent, sparking serious questions about the state of City Power’s infrastructure, maintenance practices, and service excellence.
It’s hard to ignore the repeated disruptions in the heart of Johannesburg, particularly along Main Street and near Gandhi Square, areas that should be the beating pulse of a modern, growing city. Residents and businesses alike are left in the dark every month, raising the obvious question: Why is the city’s core infrastructure failing so frequently?
Power outages are one of the most visible and disruptive forms of service failure, and when they occur regularly, they reflect poorly on the management and upkeep of essential services.
One cannot help but wonder whether City Power truly understands the importance of service excellence.
Time and again, we hear about repairs, teams on site, and future tests, but the cycle never seems to end. These frequent outages, which could potentially harm businesses, education, and daily life, suggest a deeper issue: Is City Power failing to address root causes? Do they truly comprehend the magnitude of their responsibility, particularly when the cost of failure is so high?
Furthermore, questions arise about how our municipal funds collected through rates are being allocated. If people are paying for services that are not being effectively maintained or upgraded, where is the money going?
Are the funds meant for infrastructure development and repairs being siphoned off, or are they simply mismanaged?
The consistent failures to resolve underlying issues call into question whether these rate payments are being used wisely, or if they are merely a revenue stream without tangible returns for the people who are forced to endure power cuts regularly.
The importance of infrastructure improvement and maintenance cannot be overstated, especially in a city like Johannesburg, where electricity demand is high and growing.
If City Power cannot ensure the reliability of its services in central areas, it’s hard to imagine how the broader city can ever meet the demands of its residents, businesses, and visitors.
This isn’t just about convenience these power cuts are a significant deterrent to investment and a constant source of frustration for those who rely on consistent services.
While the restoration of power in some areas is underway, the persistent nature of these issues suggests that a more strategic and long-term approach is needed to overhaul and modernise Johannesburg’s power infrastructure.
It's time to ask the hard questions: Is City Power truly committed to improving service delivery, or are these outages just another symptom of a larger systemic failure?
Pikolomzi Qaba