Parts of Jozi left in the dark following fire at substation

Johannesburg’s power utility said a fire at its Mayfair Substation on Sunday, 8 November, left many parts of the city, including Mayfair, Auckland Park, Brixton and surrounding areas, without electricity.

9 Nov 2026

The power outage in Johannesburg affected several of City Power’s critical customers, including the SABC. Image credit: , , via Wikimedia Commons

The power outage in Johannesburg affected several of City Power’s critical customers, including the SABC. Image credit: Mike Powell from United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

“The outage is affecting some of the critical customers, including the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in Auckland Park, Garden City Hospital in Mayfair, as well as businesses and residential customers in Mayfair, Crown, Vrededorp, Brixton, Crosby, Pageview, Homestead Park and Amalgam. We understand the impact this is having on our customers,” said City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena.

According to SABC News, City Power said teams are assessing the damage, which includes seven cables, a transformer, and electrical panels.

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In a statement released on Twitter (X), the municipal power utility also said heavy overnight rainfall slowed repair work.

It also ruled out an alternative supply route, saying it could overload the remaining network.

Mangena said gradual restoration is expected to begin on 9 November, provided the damaged infrastructure is repaired and confirmed safe for operation.