Ongoing electricity supply problems in Garsfontein are costing residents and businesses income, according to Ward 45 councillor Elizabeth Basson.

Basson said faults linked to the ageing Garsfontein Substation have resulted in frequent power trips and outages, severely affecting households, businesses and essential services in the area.

“Businesses are losing money and clients, and residents who work from home are losing income. These disruptions are creating a major problem in Garsfontein,” she said.

She added that many residents depend on electricity for medical equipment and healthcare needs, but the frequent outages have made life increasingly difficult for ratepayers.

“Garsfontein residents are diligent ratepayers who deserve a stable electricity supply. Not everyone can afford to install alternative power systems,” she said.

According to Basson, the Garsfontein Substation has experienced a sharp increase in both the frequency and duration of outages since November 30, 2025, linked to damage at the facility.

She said that on December 3, the area experienced eight power interruptions, including an outage caused by cable theft along Garsfontein Road. Large parts of the suburb were left without electricity on December 24 and 25, as no back-feeding capacity was available.

Basson said the situation worsened in January, with four outages recorded between January 1–4 alone.

She noted that despite escalating the matter to regional offices, senior management and municipal officials, residents have received no feedback.

“There has been no response, not even to requests for a community meeting,” she said.

Basson warned that the ongoing power disruptions are having a serious impact on the broader community, including businesses, six retirement centres and villages, four with frail-care facilities, including Denmar Mediclinic, and several large and small educational institutions in the area.

She said the Tshwane metro needs to urgently refurbish the Garsfontein Substation to ensure it can meet the demands of a growing population.

“We have seen several fires and explosions at substations across the city in recent weeks, and we do not want a similar incident at Garsfontein,” Basson said.

She added that refurbishment of the substation has been included in the metro’s Integrated Development Plan, and residents are hopeful the project will commence soon.

“Numerous promises were made last year by officials and management, but the protection systems at the Garsfontein Substation have still not been repaired. We will continue to engage council and pursue this matter,” Basson said.

Metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the unplanned outages experienced in the area were mainly due to cable faults, theft and vandalism.

Mashigo confirmed that the metro has submitted a request for capital funding to refurbish the troubled substation.

“As soon as the required funding is allocated, the refurbishment project will commence,” Mashigo said.

He added that the funding request is currently being prioritised but has not yet been approved.

According to Mashigo, the metro is in the process of obtaining minimum cost estimates for protection measures at the substation to prevent failures during downstream faults, while also exploring the possibility of a broader overhaul of vandalised substations across Tshwane.

He said there are currently no clear timelines for the repair of the protection infrastructure at the Garsfontein Substation, as logistical preparations are still underway.

Mashigo said the metro does not deliberately deny communities a platform to raise service delivery concerns.

“Community meetings are organised and held throughout all wards and are scheduled periodically through the Office of the Speaker,” he said.

Mashigo confirmed that the disruption in December was caused by theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure along Garsfontein Road.

“The city acknowledges the inconvenience caused and urges residents to report criminal activities involving electricity infrastructure to the TMPD or SAPS,” he said.

Mashigo said the city prioritised power restoration immediately after outages to minimise financial losses to residents and businesses.

He added that while the metro responds to all reported outages, customers who require medical care are advised to consider installing alternative or renewable energy solutions to mitigate the impact of unplanned supply interruptions.

Also read: Two suspects caught breaking into Pretoria West Power Station

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok or WhatsApp Channel