Power restored to 95% of areas in Centurion after prolonged outages

Power has finally been restored to about 95% of the areas in Centurion that were previously in the dark since April 3, due to the fire at the Brakfontein substation.

Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya announced this during an oversight visit to the substation early Tuesday morning.

Moya said she was pleased with the progress made by the metro’s teams, which managed to restore power to most of Centurion’s affected areas by 01:00 on April 15.

Brakfontein Update: I’m pleased to report that 95% of the areas had been restored by 1 am. The team continues with the work. Despite being on site for over a week, the team has finished strong and in good spirits. We regret and apologise that residents were inconvenienced and… pic.twitter.com/UCyI0UzdnA

— Dr Nasiphi Moya (@nasiphim) April 14, 2025

“It’s just after 01:00, and I am pleased to inform residents of Centurion that our teams have energised most of the areas that didn’t have power,” she said.

The mayor acknowledged the severity of the damage caused to the substation but commended the diligent efforts of the teams working around the clock to bring power back to the community.

While most areas have seen a restoration of power, she noted that a small portion, including some plots, remain without electricity.

Moya assured residents the teams would continue their efforts to ensure full restoration.

She also encouraged residents to reach out to the metro’s call centre to report any issues that may arise, with expectations that all areas would be fully restored by the end of the day.

Ward 64 Councillor Alta de Kock confirmed that power had been restored to several key areas, including Amberfield, Heuweloord, Rooihuiskraal, Thatchfield, The Reeds, and Arundo Estate.

However, Ward 69 Councillor Cindy Billson highlighted that power is still out on Lenchen Avenue.

She explained that metro teams were on site to replace a 45m cable stolen on April 9, which has contributed to the ongoing outages in that area.

The update came after a mass protest by residents on April 14, fuelled by frustration over ongoing outages that left the community in darkness for more than a week.

The protest action, which initially began late Sunday evening, saw residents burning tyres along major thoroughfares, including the R101 and the Rooihuiskraal interchange.

In a flyer circulating on social media ahead of the protest, organisers warned of their intent to escalate their actions, declaring, “The streets will burn with our fury”.

They expressed their determination to bring traffic to a standstill until their demands were met.

“No more meetings, no more empty promises. Only militant action will force this corrupt municipality to listen.”

The flyer signalled a clear call to action, with statements such as, “The revolution starts now,” which emphasised the residents’ frustration and urgency.

Lenor Janse van Rensburg, the Freedom Front Plus councillor for Region 4, suggested that to safeguard the substation from future incidents, surveillance cameras should be installed and linked to a control room that would alert security companies and the metro police immediately when issues arise.

“This will ensure that they get notified immediately whenever a problem arises,” she noted.

Van Rensburg also speculated that the substation had likely been burning for several hours before residents noticed the smoke and fire.

She criticised the mayor for previously assuring residents that power would be restored sooner, only for delays to occur, resulting in prolonged outages.

Van Rensburg acknowledged the hard work of metro teams, who often worked through the night to restore power.

Amid these challenges, residents have shared their experiences during the power outages.

Bongane Mtshali, a resident from Heuweloord, recounted how he and his family coped without electricity.

“It was tough, especially with two kids at home. We had to rely on candles and flashlights for light.

“Cooking was a challenge too; we resorted to using a gas stove outside,” he said.

Mtshali said that his children were restless and bored and found it hard to keep themselves entertained without their usual gadgets.

“We tried to make the best of it, playing board games and telling stories, but the uncertainty of when power would come back was stressful.”

Another resident from Rooihuiskraal, Stephen Meyers, shared how the outages disrupted everything, from his work to basic daily routines.

“I work from home, and without power, I couldn’t access my files or attend video calls.

“I had to find places with Wi-Fi and electricity just to keep my job,” he said.

Meyers explained it felt frustrating to have to adapt so quickly to such a significant change.

“My wife and I also had to throw out a lot of food from the fridge.

We tried to stay positive, but the situation was draining.”

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