Zwartkop substation repairs progress but outages remain in certain areas

Metro technicians have been working diligently to restore electricity to parts of Centurion following the explosion at the Zwartkop Substation on May 20.

MMC for Utility Services, Frans Boshielo, said repair work has been steadily progressing despite ongoing challenges.

In an update on the repair efforts, he confirmed that transformer B2 at the site has successfully passed all high-voltage tests, marking a significant step forward in the restoration process.

Zwartkop Substation Power Update Media Statement @CityTshwane @kholofeloMorodi @nasiphim pic.twitter.com/MRZMeduGcz

— MMC Frans Boshielo (@MMCBoshielo) May 21, 2025

He explained that cold commissioning of the substation has commenced, with the metro’s teams already testing the feeder panels.

“Excavation work is also underway to replace damaged feeder and control cables that were severely affected by theft and vandalism,” he said.

However, a critical hurdle remains.

Boshielo said that while the transformer has passed all high-voltage tests, the cable end box still requires replacement due to theft and vandalism.

He emphasised that the box is essential for the safe and reliable operation of the transformer, and a specially ordered replacement is expected to arrive on May 23.

“Once it arrives, technicians will begin cable termination work immediately.”

He added that oil purification of the transformer is also being carried out to ensure the equipment functions optimally when brought back into service.

“As the MMC for Utility Services, I want to assure the affected community that our teams are working diligently to restore the substation to full operation as soon as possible,” he said.

While some areas affected by the initial explosion have had their power restored, many residents and businesses in Zwartkop, Valhalla, parts of Claudius, Clubview, the military base in Thaba Tshwane, and the Zwartkop Airbase are still without electricity.

For those living in these areas, the prolonged outage is taking a serious toll.

Mariya Kalashnikova, a Valhalla resident living on Godiva Road, said not having power for the past three days has severely impacted her household.

She explained that while they do have a generator, it is too costly and impractical to run it all day.

“We spend about three to four litres of petrol a day just to keep the fridge running so the food and meat in the freezer don’t go bad,” she said.

“Fortunately, we have a camp gas hob with a gas bottle, which allows us to prepare some meals.”

However, Kalashnikova noted that the biggest challenge has been the lack of hot water.

She said their generator cannot handle the geyser, so they can’t take showers or even wash laundry.

“This is very bad, especially with two teenage boys in the house who are doing sports and going to school,” she said.

Kalashnikova also expressed growing concern about safety in the area, worrying that someone could easily break in under the cover of darkness.

Local businesses are also suffering due to the extended outage. Madeleine De Jager, general manager of Lauriston Guesthouse opposite the substation that caught fire, said the power failure has significantly affected their operations.

She explained that while some guests have been understanding, others are unhappy about the situation, particularly when they arrive late at night and find the premises in darkness.

“We can only turn on the generator for a limited number of hours each day because it has restricted capacity,” she said.

De Jager noted that the guesthouse has 20 rooms, and the generator can only run for so long before it runs out of diesel.

She added that she had to refill the diesel as early as 07:00.

In addition to power issues, the guesthouse’s internet service is also being impacted.

“The connection gets slow, and sometimes the service is poor,” she said.

Despite the difficulties, De Jager acknowledged the support they’ve received from Ward Councillor Ina Strijdom.

She shared that the councillor has been very helpful and kept them informed with constant updates.

On May 21, Boshielo confirmed that power had been restored to certain affected areas and that technicians continued to work tirelessly to restore supply to all remaining affected consumers as soon and safely as possible.

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