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East Lynne residents demand answers after weeks without power
For many families in East Lynne and neighbouring Niemand Park, the festive season ended in darkness. While much of the city was winding down after Christmas, these suburbs were plunged into an electricity crisis that has stretched on for weeks and tested patience, trust, and daily survival.
The outage traces back to Boxing Day, when a fire at the Koedoespoort Substation damaged key equipment. Since then, residents say the blackout has exposed far deeper problems than a single technical failure.
When a power cut becomes a way of life
Living without electricity for days is hard. Living without it for weeks changes everything. Residents spoke of spoiled food, disrupted medical routines, and households struggling to keep medication cold or oxygen machines running. The anger that filled a recent community meeting was not just about the lights being off. It was about feeling ignored.
That meeting, held with the city’s MMC for Utility Services, became a release valve for frustrations that have clearly been building for years. Potholes, broken streetlights, overgrown grass, and neglected infrastructure were all laid at the door of the city. The power outage, residents said, was simply the final straw.
Promises, setbacks, and more trips
The city has acknowledged the scale of the problem. Officials confirmed that a private contractor has been brought in to work alongside municipal teams to repair multiple cable faults and speed up restoration. Yet even areas that briefly saw electricity return were hit by further trips, knocking out power again for about 20 mini substations.
Technical teams remain on site, testing and diagnosing the network, while the Tshwane mayor has personally visited the area to monitor progress. For residents, however, repeated announcements without lasting results have only deepened scepticism.
On local WhatsApp groups and community pages, the mood has swung between weary humour and outright fury. Posts asking when the power will be back are now met with sarcasm or silence. Others question how a single incident could leave entire neighbourhoods vulnerable for so long.
Ageing infrastructure and tough questions
At the heart of the dispute lies the city’s ageing electricity network. City officials have pushed back against claims that maintenance budgets were diverted elsewhere, insisting that East Lynne has been prioritised this financial year.
Residents were not entirely convinced. At the meeting, pointed questions were raised about whether the municipality has a clear plan to deal with crumbling infrastructure and whether technicians have the skills needed to properly diagnose and fix faults. The concern is not just about restoring power now, but about preventing this from happening again.
City energy officials explained that the damaged substation is old and that repairs are being used as an opportunity to improve the system. Alongside fixing the existing network, a new one is being built to allow backfeeding, effectively creating redundancy that should make future outages less severe.
Safety, security, and community trust
Beyond cables and substations, residents also raised fears about vandalism and cable theft. These issues, common across many parts of Gauteng, often undo repair work overnight. City officials pointed to community-based initiatives that link residents directly with metro police to report suspicious activity faster.
Still, trust remains fragile. One resident’s emotional outburst captured the prevailing sentiment. She accused the city of failing to communicate and lacking empathy, especially for vulnerable people who rely on electricity to stay alive. Her words drew murmurs of agreement across the room.
A festive season spent in darkness
The MMC apologised to the community, acknowledging that no apology can undo the financial losses, stress, and isolation caused by such a prolonged outage. While others celebrated the holidays, East Lynne and Niemand Park were left counting candles and extension cords.
Whether the promised upgrades will restore confidence is another matter. For now, residents want less reassurance and more results. Electricity is not a luxury. For this corner of Tshwane, it has become a symbol of whether service delivery still works at all.
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: Gauteng Tourism Authority
