If you’re living in parts of Johannesburg, you might want to plan ahead—City Power has announced that an 8-hour electricity outage is on the cards.
But don’t worry, this isn’t a surprise blackout.
It’s all part of their scheduled maintenance to improve service delivery across the city.
Why the Power Outage Is Happening
According to City Power, the disruption is essential for them to carry out maintenance on their power network.
“We’re constantly working to enhance our service, and that sometimes means short-term interruptions,” the utility explained.
Residents are also being reminded to treat all power outlets as live—just because the lights are out, doesn’t mean it’s safe to fiddle with wires.
Affected Areas and Outage Timing
The outage will affect several neighborhoods connected to the Khanyisa Substation.
The maintenance is scheduled for Tuesday, 22 July 2025, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Here’s the list of impacted areas:
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Bryanston
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Bryanston 40
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Bryanston Extension 75
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Cowdray Park Extension 1
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Lyme Park
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Bryanston Extensions 8, 64, and 95
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Hurlingham Extension 5
If you live in any of these zones, you might want to charge your devices, prep meals early, and plan around the downtime.
Major Clampdown on Illegal Connections in Crown Informal Settlement
Meanwhile, City Power has also been cracking down on electricity theft.
On Wednesday, 16 July 2025, a major operation led to the removal of illegal power connections in the Crown informal settlement.
Officials seized over 10,000 kilograms of aluminium cables—illegally hooked into the system—with an estimated value of R500,000.
While this isn’t the first time they’ve acted in the area, the utility says it’s battling ongoing illegal reconnections, likely orchestrated by organised criminal groups.
Millions Owed by Local Businesses
In a related development, City Power revealed that six businesses, including one building used by a higher education institution, are in arrears—together owing a hefty R4.9 million.
That’s money that could be used to improve infrastructure and keep the lights on for everyone.
Free Basic Electricity: Are You Eligible?
City Power is encouraging low-income residents to register for their Free Basic Electricity (FBE) programme.
If you earn R7,503 or less per month, you may qualify for free electricity aimed at covering basic household needs.
And there’s more good news—customers using the resident prepaid low tariff are exempt from paying the R70 service fee and R130 network capacity charge.
