Residents in Glenvista are growing increasingly frustrated by repeated electricity outages, with many questioning why they continue to pay for services while enduring frequent power disruptions.

Several residents have raised concerns about the frequency and duration of the outages, saying the interruptions are affecting homes, businesses and daily life across the suburb.

“We are paying for electricity every month, but we are constantly left without power,” said one resident. “People are tired of living with uncertainty and temporary fixes.”

Another resident said the outages are placing financial pressure on families. “Food goes bad, security systems stop working and people are spending money they did not plan for just to keep the lights on,” the resident said.

Concerns over unsecured electrical infrastructure

Residents are also questioning whether damaged and unsecured electrical infrastructure could be contributing to the ongoing outages.

Particular concern has been raised about pillar boxes and mini substations in the area, which appear to have been left open and exposed.

During a visit to Boero Place in Glenvista, a nearby pillar box showed visible signs of vandalism and appeared unsecured, raising fears among residents that the infrastructure may be vulnerable to tampering.

“It is alarming to see electrical boxes standing open,” said a resident. “If infrastructure is not properly secured or maintained, it makes people wonder whether this is one of the reasons we are experiencing so many outages.”

Residents said the visible damage has increased concerns about maintenance and the overall condition of the electricity network in the area.

More households turning to solar power

As outages continue, many households in Glenvista are now investing in alternative energy solutions such as solar power.

Residents say the move towards solar energy has become necessary because they no longer trust the reliability of the electricity supply.

“More and more people are installing solar systems because they cannot depend on the grid anymore,” another resident said. “It is expensive, but many feel they have no choice.”

Some residents added that while solar power offers relief, not every household can afford the high installation costs, leaving many families struggling during outages.

City Power responds

In response to media enquiries, City Power said it had requested the exact location of the infrastructure in question so that a technical team could be dispatched to assess and secure the installation to prevent possible tampering or vandalism.

The utility encouraged residents to report damaged or exposed electrical infrastructure through its official reporting channels to address issues promptly.

City Power stated that, at this stage, the infrastructure shown has not been linked to recent outages affecting Glenvista.

According to the utility, the last recorded outage in the area occurred on March 15 due to a line fault, with electricity restored approximately 3 hours later. Prior to that, another outage occurred on March 10 because of a cable fault, with supply restored the following day.

City Power said outages in Glenvista, as in many parts of Johannesburg, can result from several factors, including cable faults, infrastructure damage, vandalism, and other technical network issues.

The utility added that it continues to monitor network performance across Johannesburg South, including Glenvista, and conducts maintenance and fault investigations where recurring outages are reported.

“These interventions may include repairing damaged infrastructure, addressing cable faults and carrying out routine maintenance aimed at improving supply stability,” the utility said.

Residents seeking long-term solutions

Despite City Power’s response, frustration persists among rate-paying residents who say they deserve a stable, reliable electricity supply.

Many residents believe more needs to be done to address recurring outages and secure vulnerable infrastructure before the situation worsens further.

“We just want reliable electricity,” one resident said. “People are paying for a service and they expect that service to work.”

Residents can log outages and electricity-related queries through City Power’s official website, by calling 011 490 7484, visiting their nearest Service Delivery Centre, or using the toll-free escalation number 0800 003 156.