A large section of the City of Tshwane experienced widespread power outages on Thursday night, impacting several areas including Atteridgeville, Pretoria North, Soshanguve, and parts of the CBD.
Story Summary:
- Widespread power outages hit southern parts of Tshwane on Thursday due to a fault at Eskom’s Kwagga Substation.
- Firefighters extinguished a fire, allowing technicians to begin restoring power in phases.
- The outage raises concerns about Tshwane’s infrastructure amid recent political changes in the metro.
City of Tshwane power outages: Here’s what we know
According to the City of Tshwane, the issue originated from a fault at Eskom’s 275kv feeder to Tshwane’s Kwagga Substation, which tripped and affected multiple substations across the southern parts of the metro.
Eskom technicians were dispatched to investigate and address the fault, and initial updates indicated that while the outage was severe, it was not as extensive as initially feared.
Efforts were immediately made to restore power, and technicians from the City of Tshwane were on-site working to assess the situation.
As per the City of Tshwane’s spokesperson, firefighters extinguished a fire at the Kwagga Substation, which was initially suspected to have caused the outage.
Fortunately, the fire did not involve a transformer, and once the area was secured, technicians began preparations to restore power in phases.
While no exact timeframe was given, the City reassured residents that they were actively working to re-energise the affected areas.
The incident adds to the growing infrastructure challenges facing Tshwane, coming on the heels of significant political shifts in the city’s leadership.
Following the recent removal of DA-aligned Mayor Cilliers Brink and the installation of ActionSA’s Dr Nasiphi Moya, backed by the ANC, residents have expressed concerns about the stability of service delivery in the metro.
This large-scale power failure has further spotlighted concerns about the management of Tshwane’s energy infrastructure under the newly-formed coalition government.
As of now, residents are advised to remain patient while technicians continue working on restoring power to the affected areas.
