Update, 20 March 1pm

The power outage challenges in Randburg have received the attention of the City of Johannesburg. MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services, councillor Nico de Jager released a City Power statement which said that they are aware of the prolonged power outages in Randburg and surrounding areas.

He said, “Eskom continues to battle to fully restore power to a number of City Power substations feeding areas of Randburg, affecting Randpark, Harley, Bond, Fountainbleu and Windsor as well as areas of Fourways and Cresta.”

De Jager also mentioned that some areas have had no power for up to five days and the fault is not on City Power but Eskom’s inability to reconnect power to the substations on their side. The City is assisting Eskom and has asked them to be more communicative to the public.

RANDBURG power update: I wish to inform residents that @CityPowerJhb is aware of prolonged outages in Randburg and surrounding areas – @NicoDeJager64 ^NS pic.twitter.com/CJyRqvlHpl — City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) March 20, 2019

Eskom is reportedly struggling to restore jumper cables. Once that problem is fixed they will restore the substations and after restoration, City Power will check each substation to ensure power is restored.

De Jager added that if residents still experience outages after this, they must report this to City Power so they can act immediately.

Update, 20 March, 10.15am

City Power has released a statement saying they are unable to restore power in many parts of Randburg as they do not know what problem is, however, power could be restored within three to four hours.

Residents have been angered by the unclear answers as power has been out for nearly two days.

City Power has confirmed that technicians have been deployed to restore power. There are some reports that power has been restored in some parts of Randpark Ridge:

@CityPowerJhb #randparkridge power just restored in Randpark Ridge ext 23

No idea how long it will last, maybe only an hour like yesterday @DavidWard126 — Lyndon Labuschagne (@lyndonlab) March 20, 2019

Eskom and City Power have apologised for the inconvenience caused.

In RansparkRidge City Power technicians are busy trying to restore power after restoration by Eskom earlier today. We haven't yet established the problem but we expect to have restored power in about three to four hours. — @CityPowerJhb (@CityPowerJhb) March 20, 2019

Ward 102 councillor David Potter also kept residents updated during the outage and asked them to be patient during this frustrating time.

Important update from @CityPowerJhb

Team dispatched for Randpark Ridge, Bromhof, Northworld, Sonneglans, Sundowner…all same fault. Team 2 out to Bond s/s, Kensington B affected, team will then proceed to Fonteinbleau sub, Windsor is affected by this outage.

Your patience pls. — David Potter (@DavidCOJ102) March 20, 2019

Ward 126 councillor David Brand, reported that the Beyers Naudé and Randburg substation will be excluded from load-shedding for the next few days, however, the statement has since been retracted by City Power – the area will not be spared from load-shedding.

City Power have recanted their statement that Randparkridge would be spared load shedding for the next 2 days stating that it is not technically possible – very poor and misleading! Posted by Ward 126 Johannesburg on Wednesday, 20 March 2019

Some good news – The Beyers Naudé and Randburg sub station will be excluded from loadshedding until Friday due to the supply problems that the relevant areas have been experiencing. Posted by Ward 126 Johannesburg on Tuesday, 19 March 2019

Intital report, 20 March, 7.45am

Local residents in Randpark Ridge have made their frustrations and anger known on Twitter, after reports that some parts of the area have had no power since late 18 March.

Eskom has implemented Stage 4 load-shedding and there seems to be no end in sight for Randpark Ridge residents who have felt the brunt of unplanned and planned outages.

City Power Joburg posted on their Twitter that they are aware of the power outages affecting parts of Randburg and that their technicians are working on it.

#OUTAGEUPDATE

The fault has affected power supply to areas, including: – Windsor

– Cosmo City

– Beyers Naudè

– Northriding

– Fontainbleau

– Dainfern

– Fourways

– Randburg and the surrounds City Power & Eskom technicians have been dispatched to resolve the outage.

No ETR given — @CityPowerJhb (@CityPowerJhb) March 19, 2019

City Power Joburg then posted that the fault had been repaired and that power had returned in the affected areas:

Randburg Outage update: Klevebank hennops breaker closed and remaining stations restored including Cosmo City. @CityPowerJhb @KhuluPhasiwe — Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) March 19, 2019

Power supply to all the suburbs that were affected by Klevebank substation fault earlier today have been restored.

These include areas around Randburg, Fourways, Beyers Naùde, and Northriding.

Customers urged to report sporadic localised Low-voltage faults to our Call centre. — @CityPowerJhb (@CityPowerJhb) March 19, 2019

Ward 126 councillor David Brand posted a few updates on what might have been the issue on Twitter. He said the fault was Eskom’s failure to restore power to City Power substations.

The latest reports are that Eskom has repaired the fault, City Power is now testing the supply distribution.

#randparkridge power outage As received – Eskom have repaired the fault on their supply and City Power is now testing that supply to their distribution before they can energize the sub stations that are down – no ETR as yet – will advise when more info is received — David Brand (@DavidWard126) March 20, 2019

As received "Dear Resident, the problem in Randpark (8b) is due to Eskom inability to reconnect the CP SS This is not a C P failure, but we are assisting Eskom & requested them to up the communication from their side.

We apologise for the inconvenience.Thank you

Nico de Jager" — David Brand (@DavidWard126) March 19, 2019

#randparkridge power outage in 8b area – CP has informed that repairs were unde undertaken, but they are waiting for Eskom to complete repair to a fault on their supply side No ETR at this time — David Brand (@DavidWard126) March 19, 2019

However, residents were not having it, reporting from early in the morning (20 March) that power had still not been restored in some parts of Randpark Ridge:

Every night I've had no power ???? I go sleep with no power I wake up to no power, I get home power is only on for a matter of minutes then I'm off again ever since Sunday night. This is getting unacceptable. Stop load shedding 8B if you can't put our power back on — Ashleigh (@missbabyshoes) March 19, 2019

It has not been restored!!!!!!!!!????????????????????????not acceptable!!!!!randpark ridge off since 8h30 last night. THIS WAS 7HOURS AGO AND THAT IS ALSO THE LAST UPDATE FROM COJ. DID WE WAKE UP WITHOUT POWER AGAIN…..YES WE DID!!!!! AND NO UPDATE OR ANYTHING WOW WOW WOW???????????????????????????? — Leoni du Toit (@toit_leo) March 20, 2019

Randpark Ridge X9 (8A) has failed again, just after 05h00. CPWEB2432106 @DavidWard126 — Terrence Lockyer (@TLockyer) March 20, 2019

randpark ridge here. off for 42 hours now within theast 48 hours so far. emptied my fridge when i got home from work today — Angelo Van Zyl (@Angelovz) March 19, 2019

Really? 27hrs with no power in randpark ridge and no explanation, and this is an update? — Brian (@BrianDDavids) March 19, 2019

Randpark Ridge is still in the dark 35hrs later.. — shawny sahadeo (@shawny33) March 20, 2019

Randpark Ridge X9 (8A) has failed again, just after 05h00. CPWEB2432106 @DavidWard126 — Terrence Lockyer (@TLockyer) March 20, 2019

@DavidWard126 can anyone please tell me what is going on with the power in Randpark Ridge? It almost been 36 hours. — Denise Welgemoed (@niecewel) March 20, 2019

@CityPowerJhb Still no power in Randpark Ridge but tweets say power restored? Over 24 hours now! — Vicki Baard (@vicki_02607) March 19, 2019

There were also reports that the power kept going on and off.

@CityPowerJhb power in Randpark Ridge came on at 10:35 (not 8:30am) and then went off at 11:25am. Can someone please tell me what is going on! — Oniro Concepts (@OniroConcepts) March 19, 2019