Residents of Soweto and Alexandra demand action as City Power struggles with load-shedding crisis

Residents across Johannesburg's most affected townships are growing increasingly frustrated with the municipality's inability to curb persistent power cuts, with community organisations calling for urgent intervention and transparency from City Power.

The Soweto Electricity Crisis Forum, a grassroots collective representing households in the sprawling western township, recently compiled data showing that residents experience an average of 18 hours of load-shedding per week. "We've moved beyond inconvenience," says a spokesperson for the group. "Families are losing income. Small businesses are closing. Water pumps aren't working, so we're queuing for water like it's 1985."

In Alexandra, where informal settlements border formal residential areas, the electricity crisis has compounded existing infrastructure challenges. Local spaza shop owners report losses of up to R2,500 per week due to spoiled stock and inability to operate refrigeration. A small manufacturing operation on 7th Avenue has temporarily suspended production, laying off eight workers.

The Johannesburg Metro Police Department has also flagged safety concerns, with reports indicating that dark streets around the Brixton, Fordsburg, and Hillbrow precincts have witnessed increased robberies and hijackings during peak load-shedding hours.

City Power's recent briefing to the Joburg Metro Council acknowledged technical and financial constraints, citing ageing infrastructure and maintenance backlogs as contributing factors. However, community leaders say the explanations ring hollow without concrete timelines for improvement.

"We want a municipal action plan with specific dates," says a community health worker based in the Diepkloof extension. "Not vague promises. Our clinics are struggling to maintain vaccine cold chains. That's a public health emergency."

The Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce has also raised concerns, noting that the city's competitive advantage as a financial hub is being undermined. Tourism operators and hospitality venues in the Sandton and Rosebank areas report cancellations as international visitors avoid areas with unreliable power supply.

City Power spokesperson indicated that discussions are underway regarding emergency procurement of mobile power generators for critical facilities, but no timeline has been announced. Meanwhile, the Johannesburg Water and Sanitation Department announced last week that water supply challenges have worsened due to power constraints at key pumping stations.

Residents say they expect their elected representatives to prioritise electricity as a non-negotiable service, comparable to the urgency applied to other municipal crises. A petition organised by the Soweto Electricity Crisis Forum has gathered over 15,000 signatures calling for a provincial intervention.

This article was compiled by AI from the sources linked above and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.