Johannesburg braces for 8-hour power outage affecting 24 suburbs this Saturday

A planned blackout that will stretch across Johannesburg’s west and industrial belt

Johannesburg residents across at least 24 suburbs are being urged to prepare for an extended power interruption this weekend, as City Power schedules an eight-hour maintenance shutdown at the Orlando (Industria) Substation.

The planned outage is set for Saturday, 25 April 2026, running from 9:00 in the morning until 17:00 in the afternoon. While it is part of routine network maintenance, the scale of the interruption means thousands of households and businesses will need to adjust their day accordingly.

City Power says the work is necessary to improve service reliability and strengthen the electricity network across affected areas.

Suburbs expected to be affected

The outage will stretch across industrial zones, residential pockets, and surrounding neighbourhoods. Among the suburbs impacted are:

Riverlea, Bosmont, Maraisburg, Industria North, Industria West, Industria South, Longdale, Paarlshoop, Crosby (Slovo areas), Yeast Pro, and surrounding streets including Vega Street, Bunsen Street, Springbok Street, and Maraisburg Road.

The affected network also includes key industrial and mixed-use areas where electricity demand remains high.

City Power has warned that supply may be restored earlier than expected and has urged residents to treat all electrical points as live throughout the maintenance period.

Why the outage is happening

According to City Power Johannesburg, the interruption forms part of scheduled maintenance work at the Orlando (Industria) Substation.

These upgrades are intended to improve overall stability and reduce future unplanned breakdowns on the gridan ongoing challenge in several parts of Johannesburg where ageing infrastructure continues to strain the system.

Recent disruptions and broader grid pressures

The planned outage comes as City Power continues with multiple infrastructure interventions across the city.

A separate outage scheduled at Bree Substation earlier this week was postponed, with the utility saying a new date will be announced. The affected route included areas around Rissik Street, Joubert Street, and parts of President Street.

In another development, City Power recently intensified efforts to clamp down on illegal electricity connections in Mayfair. During an enforcement operation, officials discovered several properties operating without meters and relying on illegal supply lines.

More than four connections were disconnected, and cables and circuit breakers were confiscated.

City Power says such illegal connections place additional strain on the network, increase the risk of fires and electrocution, and contribute to unplanned outages across the city.

Safety warnings and public reaction

City Power has again reminded residents to exercise caution during scheduled outages, stressing that electricity can return without warning during maintenance work.

On social media, Johannesburg residents often react to such announcements with a mix of frustration and resignationespecially as planned outages coincide with ongoing concerns about infrastructure reliability and broader electricity challenges in the country.

Still, maintenance shutdowns remain a necessary part of keeping the grid stable, even when they disrupt weekend plans.

A familiar trade-off for Joburg residents

For many suburbs across Johannesburg, scheduled power outages have become a familiar part of urban lifean inconvenient but necessary pause to keep ageing infrastructure functioning.

This weekend’s shutdown across 24 suburbs once again highlights the balancing act between maintaining the system and managing the everyday impact on households, businesses, and industrial activity.

Residents are advised to plan ahead, charge devices, and prepare for an uninterrupted stretch without electricity from morning to late afternoon on Saturday.

{Source: The South african}

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