Johannesburg is facing a severe power crisis, with recurring outages attributed to a combination of ageing infrastructure, maintenance backlogs, skills shortages, and financial strain. According to Ann Bernstein, executive director of the Centre for Development and Enterprise, the city's power utility, City Power, is facing significant challenges that need to be addressed. Bernstein emphasized that the city should focus on fixing City Power before considering proposals to collapse the utility back into the municipality.
The scale of the problem is evident in the frequency and duration of outages, with City Power reporting more than two million forced interruptions between July 2025 and March 2026. The utility averaged 11 hours to restore each outage, highlighting the need for urgent intervention. Bernstein pointed to high vacancy rates in technical and professional posts, emphasizing that a complicated engineering operation like City Power requires a board with the right skills.
Vandalism, cable theft, and non-payment are also major challenges facing City Power. Bernstein argued that the city needs to improve revenue collection while protecting support for indigent households. She emphasized that a generalised culture of non-payment is unsustainable and that capable people need to be put in charge of the utility. Additionally, Bernstein suggested that the utility should be given control over its own revenue and that private sector capacity should be brought in to support the utility.
The Centre for Development and Enterprise has highlighted a R44 billion maintenance backlog at City Power, which is a significant contributor to the power crisis. Bernstein emphasized that the city's ageing infrastructure needs to be addressed, with a focus on maintenance and upgrades. The utility's financial strain is also a major concern, with a significant impact on its ability to deliver power to the city.
Ann Bernstein's comments were made during an interview with 702 Breakfast's Bongani Bingwa. She emphasized that fixing the challenges facing City Power is crucial before considering structural issues. Bernstein's suggestions include putting capable people in charge, giving the utility control over its own revenue, and collecting what is owed. She also emphasized the need for private sector capacity to support the utility.
The power crisis in Johannesburg has significant implications for the city's residents and businesses. The frequent outages have a major impact on daily life, with many residents and businesses relying on electricity for their daily operations. The city's economy is also affected, with the power crisis potentially impacting investor confidence and economic growth.
The City of Johannesburg and City Power are under pressure to address the power crisis and find a sustainable solution. With a R44 billion maintenance backlog and significant challenges facing the utility, a comprehensive plan is needed to address the city's power needs. The Centre for Development and Enterprise's suggestions provide a starting point for addressing the crisis, with a focus on fixing City Power and improving revenue collection.
Key points
- City Power faces a R44 billion maintenance backlog, contributing to the power crisis.
- Ageing infrastructure, maintenance backlogs, skills shortages, and financial strain are attributed to the power crisis.
- Centre for Development and Enterprise executive director Ann Bernstein suggests fixing City Power before considering structural issues.
