A second explosion at City Power’s Mayfair substation interrupted electricity restoration on Monday evening, 9 November, cutting supply to all customers served by the station.

According to City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena, teams began restoring electricity at about 18:00 when the incident occurred. Customers who had escaped the initial outage were also affected. 

What Happened?

The disruption follows a fire at the substation early on Sunday morning. Technical teams assessed damaged cables, a transformer, and electrical panels before attempting to restore supply.

City Power had also considered alternative supply arrangements, but warned that these could overload remaining infrastructure and cause further interruptions.

The second explosion created a further setback. Firefighters contained the fire, and the site was cordoned off pending confirmation that technical teams could safely enter. 

Which Areas Are Affected?

City Power identified affected residential and business customers in:

• Mayfair.
• Crown.
• Vrededorp.
• Brixton.
• Crosby.
• Pageview.
• Homestead Park.
• Amalgam.

The SABC’s Auckland Park premises and Garden City Hospital were also listed among affected facilities. An interruption to water supply was reported, although the reports did not specify its geographical extent. 

What Happens Next?

Once the site is declared safe, technical teams must assess the damage and determine the materials and repairs required.

In the reports published on Tuesday morning, 10 November, City Power had not provided a restoration time. The cause of the second explosion also remained unknown and was under investigation.

Residents and businesses should follow City Power’s official updates for subsequent repair progress and restoration notices. Earlier restoration expectations preceded the second explosion and should not be treated as current commitments.

Report a Fault or Follow Updates

• Report electricity outages and faults: citypower.mobi.
• Call City Power: 011 490 7484 or 0800 202 925.
• Follow outage updates: @CityPowerJhb on X.

The Bottom Line

This is a fresh setback in an existing outage. The second explosion widened the interruption just as restoration was beginning.

For affected households and businesses, the next useful update is confirmation of the damage, repair requirements and a revised restoration estimate. Tuesday morning’s reports did not yet provide that certainty.