Tshwane Faces Citywide Power Outages From Overloaded Grid, Cold Weather

The City of Tshwane is currently facing widespread power outages triggered primarily by electrical circuit overloads due to increased electricity demand amid a cold snap, especially from heating appliances. The overloads activate safety mechanisms like circuit breakers and fuses that cut power to prevent damage or fire risks. The city is prioritizing serious and critical outages while urging residents to use electricity sparingly to alleviate pressure on the strained grid. Scheduled maintenance work involves refurbishing substations and connecting new transmission lines to stabilize the electricity supply, with planned outages affecting several suburbs. Officials have clarified that delays in restoring power are unrelated to the recently implemented overtime policy aimed at managing financial resources. Additional factors such as faulty cables and vandalism at substations have contributed to outages in some neighborhoods, and residents are encouraged to stay informed through official communication channels like WhatsApp groups.