Marshalltown power crisis leaves residents in the dark as City Power delays enforcement operation

City Power has postponed a planned operation targeting suspected hijacked and poorly managed buildings in Johannesburg’s inner city, citing safety concerns amid ongoing protests and an electricity outage that continues to affect residents.

The operation, scheduled for Friday, aimed to address illegal electricity connections, verify metering and billing compliance, and recover outstanding revenue where applicable.

The power utility says its teams could not safely proceed with the operation, while the ongoing power outage has also prevented officials carrying out the necessary testing and verification at the targeted buildings.

City Power says a new date for the operation will be communicated in due course.

It has identified around 108 suspected hijacked or problematic buildings across Johannesburg as part of its broader campaign against illegal connections and unpaid electricity bills.

Earlier this month, a joint operation with the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) targeted 11 buildings that collectively owed more than R15-million. Eight of the properties were identified as hijacked buildings.

The postponement comes as the utility continues to grapple with electricity supply disruptions in the inner city following repeated fires and an explosion at its Central Substation in Marshalltown.

Residents in parts of Marshalltown say they have been without electricity since late September, with the prolonged outage placing additional financial pressure on households and disrupting daily life.

Speaking to YNews, an anonymous resident says her household has been without power since 26 September, forcing the family to spend more on food, gas and alternative ways to charge electronic devices.

Spoiled groceries, daily takeaway meals, gas refills and the cost of charging phones and other devices at restaurants are among the additional expenses residents say they are facing.

The outage has also raised concerns about the impact on matriculants preparing for their final examinations, with some learners forced to study without electricity.

The resident says changing restoration deadlines and uncertainty over when electricity will return have left households frustrated and struggling to plan their daily lives.

The latest disruption follows a series of fires at the Central Substation, which have repeatedly affected electricity supply across parts of Johannesburg’s inner city.

The first fire broke out on 6 September, with power restored two days later. A second fire followed in the early hours of 9 September, and electricity was restored on 17 September.

A third fire broke out on 26 September. Although City Power reported that more than 90% of affected customers had been reconnected by 8 October, some residents say their supply remained off.

Another fire was reported at the substation on 13 October, followed by an explosion on Wednesday night that further delayed restoration efforts.

The repeated incidents have raised further questions about the reliability of electricity infrastructure in the inner city, as residents continue to bear the cost of prolonged outages.

City Power has yet to announce a new date for the postponed enforcement operation.

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Power Restoration Update :Central Substation Site Visit

Our COO, Anza Mudau, together with City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena, conducted a walkabout at the Central substation today. They provided a brief explanation and background to representatives from JPOMA, OPH, ITHEMBA, COLOSSEUM and Pr Councilor Lebo on the progress made so far in restoring power to the substation.

The engagement gave stakeholders a clear picture of the work completed to date and the remaining steps towards full restoration. ^NH

— @CityPowerJhb (@CityPowerJhb) October 16, 2026

Written by: Lebohang Ndashe