Jasper Hill and Longview residents frustrated by recurring power outages
Jasper Hill residents say mini substation has faults that City Power constantly ignores.
Residents of Jasper Hill and Longview are once again facing power outages, just days after enduring a five-day electricity disruption, leaving many frustrated and demanding urgent action from City Power.
The residents suspect the mini substation next to the complex is part of the problem.
Jasper Hill trustee and resident, Portia Ngwepe, said they experience these power outages yearly, and City Power is not providing a permanent solution.
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“You know, the sad part about these is that once they [outages] hit us, it’s not like it’s a one-day thing where we will experience power outages for a day and then it comes back; instead it’s like a 5-day or a week’s thing,” added Ngwepe.
Residents have continuously escalated the matter to ward councillor Annette Deppe, who has strongly criticised City Power for what she describes as poor management and inadequate communication regarding the recurring outages.
According to Deppe, residents in Longview logged the latest outage to City Power, while residents in Jasper also reported being without electricity, and all City Power does is close the tickets without restoring the power.
Deppe raised concerns over the handling of the faults, saying a fault was initially logged and later closed, only for another fault to be logged shortly afterwards.
“This points to poor fault management, poor communication, and a failure by City Power to properly resolve the underlying problem,” said Deppe.
“City Power cannot continue to treat residents as if they must simply accept ongoing outages, vague updates, and repeated failures. These are paying residents who deserve a reliable electricity supply and proper service delivery,” she added.
The repeated outages have placed significant strain on residents, especially after many households reportedly suffered financial losses during last week’s outage due to spoiled food.
“Just last week, we had to throw away food because it was spoiled, and we bought some when this week started, there’s no power again. What must we do now when it seems like we are always going to experience living without electricity nonstop? asked Ngwepe.
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With winter temperatures remaining low, Deppe emphasised that the outages are causing additional hardship for families.
“Residents cannot afford to suffer the same financial losses again, especially during this very cold weather. Electricity is not a luxury; it is an essential service,” said Deppe.
Deppe has called on City Power to urgently escalate the matter by deploying technical teams, identifying the root cause of the repeated outages, and providing residents with clear communication regarding restoration timelines.
“The residents of Jasper and Longview cannot continue living under these conditions. City Power must get this right and restore electricity as a matter of urgency,” she concluded.
The Midrand Reporter contacted Zwivhuya Matidza from City Power for comment on July 2.
Matidza confirmed the receipt of the enquiry and said they will respond. We will provide an update once the response has been made available.
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