The Tshwane metro says it is aware of resource limitations currently affecting operations in Region 3, where repeated and prolonged electricity outages have left residents in parts of Pretoria Old East without power for extended periods.

According to metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo, the matter has been escalated to management for consideration of additional operational resources as pressure mounts on maintenance teams.

“The region has experienced several power outages due to medium voltage cable faults and block outages. Some of these outages were caused by theft of overhead conductors.”

According to Mashigo, the adverse weather conditions experienced currently also caused delays in the restoration process.

He added that the metro’s technical teams are prioritising restoration work across affected wards, including wards 82, 56, 42, and 59.

“The city continuously prioritises medium voltage and block outages across all affected areas, including the eastern parts of Region 3. All reported outages are attended to as a priority to restore supply as quickly as possible,” Mashigo said.

Residents and ward councillors have, however, raised concerns over the scale and duration of outages, with some communities reporting blackouts lasting up to two weeks.

Ward councillor Siobhan Muller said residents and businesses across Region 3, including wards 82, 56, 42 and 59, are frustrated by slow response times and ongoing disruptions.

“We, the residents of Pretoria Old East in Region 3… demand that the City of Tshwane act to resolve the severe power outages lasting for up to two weeks on average, sometimes even longer,” said Muller.

She added that communities believe the metro lacks the capacity to respond effectively to repeated faults.

“There is clearly not enough capacity, and residents and businesses are crippled with long outages. Every weekend, the problem gets worse, as very limited teams are working, limited resources are available, and overtime is cut or limited,” she said.

Muller further said residents feel overlooked despite continuing to pay municipal rates, arguing that service delivery claims do not match lived reality.

The concerns come amid growing criticism from the DA over the city’s electricity infrastructure and maintenance capacity.

DA Tshwane spokesperson on utilities, Themba Fosi, said regional electricity departments are operating under severe pressure, citing limited budgets and staffing shortages.

He said some regions are working with an average budget of about R1.5-million, which he described as insufficient for a major metro.

According to Fosi, regions 3, 4 and 6 have been among the hardest hit by infrastructure failures, delayed maintenance, and a growing backlog of unresolved faults.

He added that in some cases, outages that should be resolved within hours are now lasting days due to limited preventative maintenance, procurement delays and staff shortages, including a reported 40% vacancy rate.

Fosi called for technical staff and resources to be redirected to the worst-affected areas to stabilise supply and reduce the backlog.

Mashigo said the metro is aware of resource constraints affecting operations and has escalated the matter for consideration of additional support.

“Resource allocation is continuously reviewed based on operational requirements and available funding,” said Mashigo.

He added that response times vary depending on the severity of faults, with larger outages prioritised under existing service delivery protocols.

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