Residents in Greenhills, West Porges, and parts of the Randfontein CBD, including the Randfontein Elderly Care Centre, are still without electricity today following theft and damage to critical infrastructure at the Industries Substation on Wednesday morning, April 15.

The outage, which began in the early hours of Wednesday, has continued to disrupt daily life for both residents and businesses in the affected areas. The incident is believed to have been caused by criminals targeting electrical cables at the substation, resulting in significant damage and a prolonged power interruption.

Rand West City Local Municipality spokesperson Phillip Montshiwa said that after Eskom restored electricity, the feeder breaker supplying the CBD tripped. Further investigation revealed that unknown syndicates had attempted to steal the feeder cable supplying the town.

Montshiwa added that the extent of the damage has complicated repair efforts, with no confirmed timeline yet for full restoration.

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The incident has again highlighted the ongoing problem of infrastructure vandalism and cable theft in the region, which continues to strain municipal resources and disrupt essential services.

Residents are urged to remain patient while repairs continue and to report any suspicious activity to help prevent further incidents. However, a few expressed frustration over the ongoing outage.

Vanessa Hartzenburg said the situation is unacceptable, while Antoinette Labuschagne raised concerns about food spoilage, security risks, and the impact on vulnerable community members.