Seven years after a R120m upgrade was hailed as a solution to electricity instability in Johannesburg’s northern suburbs, residents in Northcliff, Fairland, Berario, and surrounding areas say little has changed.
When the Roosevelt Park substation overhaul was completed in 2019, it was positioned as a major step forward. The project introduced new transformers, advanced control systems, and improved switching capabilities – all aimed at strengthening capacity and reliability. City Power insists the upgrade delivered on its promise, acknowledging that the source of today’s outages lies elsewhere. According to the utility, the problem is rooted in an ageing and increasingly fragile network. While the substation itself is modern, it feeds into more than 18 000km of underground cables across Johannesburg, much of which is decades old.

Some of the infrastructure linked to the Roosevelt Park substation dates back as far as 1958. Spokesperson Isaac Mangena said most current outages are caused by feeder and cable faults, often worsened by cable theft, vandalism, bad weather, and damage from third parties. The result is a growing mismatch between upgraded infrastructure and the deteriorating system it supports.

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Although the 88kV supply lines were designed to accommodate long-term demand, rapid urban development has placed additional strain on the network. When one line fails, others are forced to carry excess load, increasing the likelihood of further disruptions. City Power maintains that a full replacement of the network is not immediately feasible. Instead, it has adopted a phased approach – addressing faults as they occur, while gradually upgrading critical components.

In 2026, the focus has shifted to stabilising supply through targeted maintenance and rapid-response interventions.

The Roosevelt Park substation underwent scheduled maintenance in March as part of an ongoing reliability programme. Despite these efforts, residents say the reality on the ground remains inconsistent, with unplanned outages continuing – often without warning.

Also read: Outage alert: Power interruption at Roosevelt Park substation

Ward 88 councillor Nicolene Jonker said communities connected to the Roosevelt Park substation are bearing the brunt of failing infrastructure. “Residents in Ward 88, especially on the Roosevelt Park substation network, are dealing with repeated outages because the infrastructure is failing – cables, mini-substations, and everything.” Jonker added that the issue has been repeatedly raised with City Power, with little visible change. She argues that while faults are being repaired, the underlying problem remains unresolved.

For many residents, frustration is growing – particularly in the absence of clear timelines for improvement. Current measures include active fault-finding, emergency repairs, switching customers to alternative supply routes, and the gradual replacement of failing cables. Broader network strengthening projects are also underway.

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