When will power return to Braamfontein? City Power responds

Power supply is gradually returning to Braamfontein following the underground cable fire on 1 May that impacted high-voltage infrastructure supplying parts of the Johannesburg inner city.

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena confirmed on Monday that restoration efforts are “well on track”, with an estimated completion date of Tuesday, 6 May 2025.

“The rehabilitation of the damaged underground infrastructure is well on track, with the process of clearing the debris already completed,” Mangena said.

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Wolmarans mini-sub fire adds pressure

Further delays were caused by a separate incident on Friday, when a minor fire damaged a mini-substation at Wolmarans Street and Hospital Street.

“We have managed to secure the necessary materials and will resume with repairs,” City Power said.

“The entire area that was affected by the fire, which occurred on Thursday at the M1 bridge, has been restored. We’re only working on restoring the remaining 50% at Wits University. On Friday, we had a minor fire which damaged a mini-sub in Wolmarans.”

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Progress on key supply routes

City Power teams have made advances on two major supply routes: the Fordsburg, Braamfontein and Bree, Newtown and Wits circuits.

“High-voltage cables for the Fordsburg–Braamfontein route have already been delivered to site, and installation work is scheduled to begin on Tuesday morning pending final clearance from the Johannesburg Roads Agency,” the utility said.

In the case of the Bree, Newtown and Wits line, cable jointing on the Braamfontein end has been completed.

Testing teams are on site conducting safety and performance verification.

Once final tests are complete, City Power’s System Development and Control (SDC) division will begin phasing the circuit back into operation.

However, the planned transfer of Wits University’s load to the Bree substation encountered setbacks.

“The planned transfer of the Wits electrical load to the Bree substation could not be completed due to constraints with existing switchgear infrastructure. The team is working on resolving this technical challenge,” Mangena added.

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Public urged to use electricity sparingly

City Power has reiterated its plea for residents and businesses to reduce electricity usage.

The utility urged customers to switch off non-essential appliances

“Avoid using high-consumption equipment like geysers, pool pumps, and heaters during peak hours, 6am to 9am and 5pm to 9pm and unplug devices not in use at all times.

“Your cooperation is vital to sustaining power supply and preventing further disruptions,” it concluded.

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