Alexandra Ext 7 residents, furious after enduring more than a month without electricity, blocked Far East Bank Drive on Wednesday with burning tyres and rubble to demand action from City Power.

Community members say the outage has left households unable to cook, refrigerate food, or power essential appliances, disrupting daily life and placing vulnerable families at risk.

Read more: Power outages stall cases at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court

The protest brought traffic between Marlboro Drive and Laduma Avenue to a standstill, with residents vowing to continue until City Power responds. Resident, Percy Mbombi, said that repeated complaints have gone unanswered. “We celebrated Good Friday without electricity. Today, it is the 28th, and we still do not have electricity.”

Mbombi added that the transformer serving the area had exploded, yet City Power has given no feedback. However, some residents, including Mpho Mokoena, who made it clear that no one in the area pays for electricity, acknowledged that City Power previously told them that they must pay a fee before power can be restored, but none admitted to paying.

Also read: Far Eastbank residents voice frustration over prolonged power outage

They also noted that the transformer has failed multiple times, plunging them into darkness. She said the most recent replacement was in 2023, and now the transformer is damaged again. “The transformer doesn’t even have anything inside. If you open it you will see. It’s empty, the wires are cut. There is no sign that City Power intends to attend to it.”

@caxtonjoburgnorth WATCH: Extension 7 residents in Ward 105 blocked Far East Bank Drive with burning tyres after enduring over a month without electricity. Video: Itumeleng Maloka #Alex #Extension7 ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

Police arrived in heavy numbers to restore order, removing the stones, rubble, and charred tyres from the road. However, residents threatened to block the road again once the police leave.

@caxtonjoburgnorth WATCH: Police arrive in numbers to restore order on Far East Bank Drive during a heated protest over the area’s power outage. Video: Itumeleng Maloka #Alex #Poweroutage ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

Alex News has reached out to City Power for comment and will provide an update once their response is received.

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