Tshwane Power Outages
By Mpho Moloi
Pretoria, South Africa – The City of Tshwane is grappling with widespread power outages affecting multiple regions, including Soshanguve, Pretoria CBD, Waverley, Ashlea Gardens, Lotus Gardens, and Pienarspoort. These outages, largely caused by cable faults and exacerbated by recent heavy rainfall, have led to significant infrastructure failures. Mayor Nasiphi Moya has assured residents that the City is taking urgent action to restore power, with teams working around the clock to address the crisis. While progress has been made in areas like Menlo Park, many residents and businesses remain without electricity. The City is also focusing on long-term solutions to prevent future disruptions, including tackling cable theft, upgrading infrastructure, and investing in sustainable energy solutions.
Introduction
Power outages have plunged parts of Tshwane into darkness, disrupting daily life for residents and businesses alike. On 5 March 2025, Executive Mayor Nasiphi Moya addressed the crisis, detailing the City’s immediate response and its plans to ensure a more reliable power supply in the future. The outages have hit Regions 1, 3, and 5 hardest, with Soshanguve, Pretoria CBD, Waverley, Ashlea Gardens, Lotus Gardens, and Pienarspoort bearing the brunt of the disruptions. Cable faults, worsened by heavy rainfall, have caused widespread infrastructure failures, leading to both block and single outages across the city.
The City has deployed additional repair teams to work overnight, especially with more rain forecast, to restore electricity as quickly as possible. While some areas, like Menlo Park, have seen power return, many others remain in the dark. Mayor Moya has called for patience from the public, promising that the City is not only focused on short-term fixes but also on long-term solutions to prevent such crises moving forward.
This article dives into the causes of the outages, the City’s response, and the broader impact on Tshwane. It also incorporates the latest developments from recent news reports to provide a full picture of the situation.
Affected Regions and Causes of Power Outages
The power outages have swept across multiple regions of Tshwane, leaving thousands without electricity. Below is a breakdown of the hardest-hit areas and the reasons behind the disruptions.
• Region 1: SoshanguveSoshanguve, a bustling township north of Pretoria, has been one of the worst-affected areas. Residents have faced days without power, with cable faults triggered by heavy rainfall damaging underground electrical systems. The high population density has amplified the impact, affecting schools, clinics, and small businesses.
• Region 3: Pretoria CBD, Waverley, Ashlea Gardens, and Lotus GardensPretoria CBD, the administrative hub of Tshwane, has seen businesses grind to a halt due to the outages. Nearby suburbs like Waverley, Ashlea Gardens, and Lotus Gardens have also been plunged into darkness. The outages here stem from cable faults and infrastructure failures, made worse by illegal connections and cable theft, which have long plagued the area.
• Region 5: PienarspoortIn the rural reaches of Pienarspoort, power lines and equipment have been battered by the elements, leaving residents isolated. The remote location has slowed repair efforts, with teams struggling to reach damaged infrastructure through muddy roads and flooded areas.The City of Tshwane has pinpointed cable faults as the main culprit, with heavy rainfall acting as a catalyst. Recent storms have flooded underground cables, causing short circuits and equipment breakdowns. Beyond the weather, cable theft and illegal connections have added fuel to the fire. Thieves stripping copper cables for scrap metal have left entire sections of the grid exposed, while unauthorised connections have overloaded the system, pushing it to breaking point.
A recent News24 report from 4 March 2025 highlighted a surge in cable theft across Gauteng, with Tshwane among the hardest hit. The article noted that over 120 incidents of cable theft were recorded in the city in the past year alone, costing millions in repairs.
City’s Response to the Crisis
The City of Tshwane is pulling out all the stops to tackle the outages. On 5 March 2025, Mayor Nasiphi Moya outlined the City’s efforts, stating: “Our teams have been working tirelessly to restore power, and additional repair teams have been deployed to affected areas to speed up the restoration process.” These teams are set to work through the night, with efforts ramping up over the next 12 hours despite the threat of more rain.
“We are pleased to report that progress has been made, with power successfully restored in areas such as Menlo Park,” Moya added. “However, we fully acknowledge that many residents and businesses remain without electricity, and we remain committed to resolving these outages as quickly as possible.”
Emergency response units have been dispatched to tackle block and single outages, prioritising areas with the greatest need. However, challenges remain. A tweet from the City of Tshwane’s official account on 5 March 2025 warned that protests in some areas could slow down repairs. “Protest action will delay restoring power supply. In order to protect the lives of technicians, services will have to be held back until the demonstration is over,” the tweet read.
Recent updates from The Citizen on 5 March 2025 confirmed that power was restored to parts of Region 3, including Menlo Park and Brooklyn, but Soshanguve and Pienarspoort remain problematic due to ongoing repairs and difficult access.
Long-Term Solutions to Prevent Future Disruptions
While restoring power is the immediate priority, the City is also looking ahead to prevent future outages. Mayor Moya outlined several strategies to strengthen Tshwane’s power infrastructure:
- Taking Decisive Action Against Cable Theft and Illegal Connections
Cable theft and illegal connections have crippled the power grid, and the City is cracking down. Measures include:
• Boosted security: The City is partnering with police to ramp up patrols and install cameras at key sites.
• Public campaigns: Residents are being educated about the dangers of illegal connections and the ripple effects of cable theft.
• Tough penalties: Legal action is being pursued against thieves and those making unauthorised connections.A TimesLIVE article from 3 March 2025 reported that Tshwane police arrested five suspects linked to a cable theft ring last week, recovering stolen copper worth over R200,000. The City hopes such efforts will deter future crimes.
- Ongoing Maintenance and Upgrades
Aging infrastructure is a ticking time bomb, and the City is tackling it head-on with:
• Cable replacements: Old, fault-prone cables are being swapped out for modern alternatives.
• Substation upgrades: Key substations are getting a facelift to handle demand better.
• Smart technology: The City is exploring smart grids to monitor and fix issues faster.- Enhancing Response Capacity
To cut downtime during outages, the City is:
• Hiring more staff: Additional technicians are being trained to join repair crews.
• Better communication: Real-time updates will keep residents informed via social media and SMS.
• Emergency units: Dedicated teams will handle major outages swiftly.- Investing in Sustainable Energy Solutions
Looking to the future, the City is betting on green energy, including:
• Solar power: Plans are underway for solar farms to ease pressure on the grid.
• Wind energy: Wind turbines could soon dot Tshwane’s landscape.
• Battery backups: Energy storage systems will provide power during emergencies.“We are committed to resolving these outages as quickly as possible,” Moya said. “Investing in sustainable energy solutions is crucial to building a more stable and reliable power supply.”
Impact on Residents and Businesses
The outages have turned life upside down for many in Tshwane. In Soshanguve, residents have gone days without power, spoiling food and cutting off communication. “We’re struggling to keep going,” said local resident Thandi Molefe. “No lights, no stove—it’s tough.”
In Pretoria CBD, businesses are counting losses. A shop owner told Pretoria News on 5 March 2025 that he’d lost R10,000 in a single day due to spoiled stock and closed doors. “We can’t keep running like this,” he said.
The City has recognised the strain, with Moya stating: “We appreciate the patience and understanding of our residents and businesses during this challenging time.”
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