City Power blamed for delays, losses and rising theft in Alexandra
Nearly two weeks after a mini substation failure on Onica Mashigo Street, residents of Far Eastbank remain without electricity, facing rising food costs, growing fears of cable theft, and mounting frustration over City Power’s slow response.
Almost two weeks since the mini substation on Onica Mashigo Street in Far Eastbank was damaged, City Power has yet to restore electricity. With no reliable power, families have been forced to buy food daily, fearing spoilage without refrigeration, while others fear thieves will take advantage of the blackout to steal power cables.
Read more: Far Eastbank residents voice frustration over prolonged power outage
Resident Ponto Madubanya, part of the community delegation that met with City Power on June 19, said the utility insisted that breached meters must be fixed before the substation could be repaired. However, instead of fixing breached meters, the utility told them about its plan to install new meter boxes. “They said if we allow the technicians to install the new meter boxes peacefully, power could be restored by June 27,” Madubanya shared.
However, an elderly resident, Linda Mbokazi was sceptical. “I do not believe we will have electricity by then. They have been telling us the same thing since last week. They said we have to allow their technicians to fix meters that are breached, and now to install new meters.” Although the community delegates assured City Power that their technicians would be safe, they still did not install meters when they went to the area on June 19, stating they could not do so during an outage. Another resident, Tebogo Mabena, questioned the urgency, asking why the utility was hell-bent on installing new meters, especially since their current meters were only installed in September 2024.
Now, the issue of cable theft has only deepened residents’ frustration. “When there is an outage, thieves come to steal cables,” Madubanya said. At least five households have had to replace cables stolen in May during an outage. “I had to use money meant for food, and it was not only me. Four houses on our block had to pay R1 200 each to replace stolen cables and to pay our technician,” Mabena shared. Now, residents fear more theft as the City Power delays continue.
While some blame Ward 105 Councillor Tefo Raphadu for inaction, he defended his efforts. “I have been actively working and going to the depot daily to resolve their issues, including in other areas of the ward affected by blackouts. I have been providing daily updates on various platforms and physically engaging with residents,” he said.
As residents wait for City Power to fix their mini substation and install new meters, they continue to bear the financial brunt of the utility’s delays.
Alex News has asked for comment from City Power; further updates will be provided once they are available.
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