Partial restoration after smoke in underground cable tunnels — work continues at Fordsburg
City Power has confirmed that while a significant portion of customers affected by a widespread outage have had supply restored, several areas in and around the Johannesburg central business district remain without power after smoke was detected in the underground cable tunnels at the Fordsburg substation on Sunday.
The utility's spokesperson, Isaac Mangena, said technicians found smoke originating from the cable tunnels, which requires careful, phased testing of high-voltage cables before electricity can be reconnected safely. The work includes cable joining and thorough testing to ensure cables are clear and safe for service.
"City Power would like to apologise to the residents in the inner city, areas around Marshalltown, Bree Street and also around MTN Taxi Rank, who are affected, still affected, actually, by the widespread outage coming from our Fordsburg substation," Mangena said.
According to City Power updates, teams are focusing on high-voltage cable repairs and testing at the substation. Because of the scale and complexity of the work, restoration will proceed in phases to confirm each section of cable is safe before supply is resumed to additional customers.
- Affected inner-city locations named by City Power: Marshalltown, Bree Street, MTN Taxi Rank and surrounding inner-city precincts.
- Ongoing issue elsewhere: Orange Grove and nearby suburbs remain without supply from an interruption first reported on Friday, 21 August; City Power said the interruption there remains unresolved.
- Operational approach: Teams are joining high-voltage cables and conducting stepwise testing to verify safety before further restorations.
City Power also posted updates on social media to advise customers of the continuing work and the phased nature of restoration. The utility apologised to affected residents and said extra care is being taken because underground cable-tunnel incidents can pose risks to both personnel and the electrical network if not handled methodically.
Residents in affected precincts said the outage disrupted homes, small businesses and commuter activity in parts of the inner city. Service interruptions near taxi ranks and commercial corridors tend to have immediate knock-on effects for traders and commuters who rely on electronic tills, lighting and security systems.
Technical staff at the substation will continue with diagnostic and remedial work. City Power said cable testing will be conducted in stages to ensure that "all installed cables are confirmed to be clear and safe before restoration can resume." The utility urged residents to take appropriate safety precautions around damaged electrical equipment and to report faults or unsafe situations through their usual City Power contact channels.
| Location | Status (as reported) |
|---|---|
| Marshalltown | Still affected |
| Bree Street | Still affected |
| MTN Taxi Rank area | Still affected |
| Orange Grove and surrounding areas | Interruption from 21 August remains unresolved |
City Power did not give a precise timeline for full restoration. Residents and business owners in the inner city are advised to plan for continued intermittent supply and to follow updates from the utility. Those with medical equipment dependent on electricity should make contingency arrangements where possible and seek assistance through their medical providers or emergency services if needed.
Officials reiterated that underground cable incidents require methodical testing to avoid repeat failures or damage when power is reintroduced. For now, inner-city commuters and traders will have to wait as teams complete the technical work at Fordsburg before normal service can be fully restored.
