Linksfield families left in the dark for 13 days as exposed cables spark safety fears
Residents say they are battling without electricity while exposed cables and open trenches near a school, clinic and community facilities raise concerns over public safety.
For nearly two weeks, several households in Linksfield have been without electricity, relying on candles, gas stoves and small power banks to get through each day as frustration mounts over delays in restoring power.
Resident Wilhelm van Rensburg said the outage, affecting homes near 10th Street and Council Road, has placed immense strain on families.
“Not everyone can afford solar and with candles, a small power bank and a gas stove, life can be very trying,” he said.
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Beyond the blackout itself, residents are deeply concerned about exposed electrical cables and open trenches in the area, which they believe pose a danger to the wider community.
The reported hazards are situated close to Linksfield Primary School, the Linksfield Clinic and the Linksfield Bridge Club.
Van Rensburg warned that the exposed infrastructure could put learners, pedestrians and motorists at risk.
“The whole community is at risk,” he said.
According to City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena, the outage was first logged on May 9 under reference number CP WEB 497 6421.
Mangena said preliminary investigations revealed multiple cable faults within the network, adding that repairs had been delayed by the need to source specialised materials required to safely complete the work.
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“Faults of this nature are often complex and require extensive fault finding processes to accurately identify the affected sections of the network before repairs can commence,” he explained.
Repair work was expected to begin on May 21 after the required materials became available, although City Power said it could not yet confirm when electricity would be restored because the full extent of the damage would only become clear once excavation and repairs were underway.
While City Power confirmed it was aware of the outage, Mangena said the utility had not received a formally logged complaint relating specifically to exposed cables or unsafe trenches in the area.
He urged residents to report electrical hazards through official City Power channels so incidents can be tracked and attended to promptly.
City Power said technical teams would assess the reported infrastructure concerns and implement immediate safety measures where necessary.
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