UNKINDEST CUT: Cold snap exposes the obvious — Joburg’s power grid can’t cope
City Power’s customer calls averaged between 2,000 and 3,700 in July. They hit 6,000 this week as Joburg experienced some of its coldest temperatures of the year.
Johannesburg's power grid struggled to cope with a recent cold snap, leading to widespread outages and a surge in customer calls to City Power. Residents reported experiencing power cuts lasting up to 48 hours, with some areas seeing a spike in call volumes. Sharon Oosterberg, a Northcliff resident, relied on an oxygen concentrator for her breathing and faced challenges during the outage.
City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena attributed the crisis to the strain caused by cold weather and a surge in electricity demand, as well as the city's aging and poorly maintained infrastructure.
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