Joburg Inner City Faces Prolonged Blackout as City Power Battles Cable Theft and Infrastructure Damage
By Mpho Moloi
Residents in parts of Johannesburg’s inner city will remain without electricity until at least Monday evening, as City Power faces serious setbacks caused by extensive cable theft and equipment failures. The prolonged outage, which began on Tuesday, has plunged Marshalltown and surrounding areas into darkness and uncertainty, severely affecting households, businesses, and vulnerable residents.
City Power confirmed that the blackout was initially triggered by multiple faults at the Albert West and Market Street distributors. However, what was meant to be a routine repair effort turned into a far more complex and damaging crisis. Technicians discovered that approximately 260 metres of high-voltage cable had been stolen, and faulty equipment had further complicated restoration plans.
Efforts to restore power were first expected to be finalised by Thursday. But limited access to critical infrastructure within buildings, coupled with the theft of the vital cabling and delays in sourcing replacement parts, forced City Power to push the timeline back. Now, affected residents must brace for nearly a full week without power—if not longer.
Speaking on the matter, City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena described the impact of the cable theft as devastating.
“The theft of the cable then exacerbated our efforts to try and restore electricity,” Mangena said. “It’s 260 metres of cable that was stolen, and it requires material to be replaced. We are struggling to access that material, especially during the weekend.”
The blackout comes at a time when Johannesburg is already grappling with persistent load shedding and infrastructure decay. The inner city, particularly Marshalltown, is home to thousands of residents living in densely populated high-rise buildings, many of which rely on consistent power for water pressure, elevators, safety lighting, and health-related equipment. The extended outage has raised serious concerns about health and safety, especially among the elderly and people with disabilities.
Adding to the difficulty is the fact that warehouses and suppliers have reduced operating hours over the weekend, further delaying the procurement of new cables and replacement parts. Technicians are reportedly working around the clock to access buildings where cables must be rerouted or repaired, but the situation remains precarious.
City Power has urged residents to be patient and remain vigilant. The utility has condemned acts of vandalism and theft targeting essential infrastructure, calling it “economic sabotage” that undermines service delivery and places lives at risk. Law enforcement agencies have also been notified, and investigations into the cable theft are ongoing.
Mangena also expressed concern about the safety of technicians working in high-risk environments. In previous incidents across Johannesburg, repair teams have come under attack while conducting emergency work. The utility is now working with Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) to provide additional security at repair sites.
This latest incident has once again highlighted the critical impact of infrastructure vandalism on service delivery in South Africa’s urban centres, where ageing systems and increasing criminal activity intersect to create crises for local governments and communities alike.
Joburg residents have taken to social media to express frustration and share coping strategies, as many remain without access to running water, cooking facilities, and internet connectivity. For small business owners in the inner city, the power failure is a financial blow they can ill afford.
City Power says it will provide further updates on the restoration timeline by Monday afternoon. In the meantime, it has committed to fast-tracking material procurement once warehouses reopen and expects restoration efforts to gain momentum early next week.
Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding the cable theft to report it immediately. City Power is also calling on communities to safeguard infrastructure and report any suspicious activity near substations and cable routes.
As the inner city battles yet another prolonged service disruption, the incident serves as a stark reminder of how criminal acts like cable theft cripple the delivery of basic services and expose residents to unnecessary hardship.
Residents are advised to use gas appliances where available, keep mobile devices charged during periods of load shedding, and check on vulnerable neighbours while the repairs continue.
City Power has reaffirmed its commitment to restoring power as quickly and safely as possible and is working closely with suppliers, law enforcement, and city officials to ensure no f
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