Tedstonville residents left in the dark as power outages drag on for over a month

Tedstonville residents are growing increasingly frustrated and desperate after enduring more than four weeks of prolonged and unexplained power outages, with no communication or intervention from the City of Ekurhuleni or their local ward councillor.

The issue, which dates back to as early as November 2024, has continued into 2025 with no resolution in sight.

According to community members, the outages are erratic and disproportionately affect certain parts of the suburb, especially the section enclosed with palisade fencing.

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While some residents experience outages lasting only a day or two, those in the more severely affected zone report being without power for weeks at a time.

“What’s worse is that no one can even confirm which substation we’re connected to,” said resident Sandra Ludik.

“Every time we try to report the issue, we get conflicting information. Some say we’re on one side. Others say it’s another. We’re stuck in the middle, suffering, and just hoping someone helps.”

Frustration has only intensified amid claims that contractors sent by the city arrive at the scene only to remain in their vehicles or pretend to be working without delivering any results.

“They come, look around, then disappear,” said a resident. “There’s no feedback, no transparency, and no urgency from these teams.”

Pensioners and ratepayers say the lack of service delivery is particularly disheartening, considering they continue to pay monthly for municipal services, rates, and taxes without receiving the basics in return.

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“We’re paying full rates, and many of us live off small pensions,” said one pensioner. “The least the city can do is provide reliable electricity and communicate with us.”

Adding to residents’ grievances is the issue of inflated property valuations. Many claim their homes have been significantly overvalued, resulting in higher municipal charges despite the unreliable provision of basic services like electricity.

“It’s robbery,” said one homeowner. “How can my house be worth so much on paper when I can’t even cook a meal or keep food from spoiling because of constant blackouts?”

The silence from the ward councillor has further angered the community. Despite repeated attempts to raise the issue through official channels, residents say they have received no updates, explanations, or assistance.

“We’ve waited too long, and it’s clear that no one is taking us seriously,” said a group of residents. “We are citizens, ratepayers, and human beings. We deserve better.”

Tedstonville residents are now calling on the City of Ekurhuleni’s electricity department and mayoral committee to urgently step in and restore power and accountability.

An enquiry was sent to the city regarding the outage, but no comment had been received at the time of going to print.
Until then, Tedstonville remains a community left in the dark.