South Africa: Power outage ongoing in eastern parts of Pretoria as of April 10

Event

As of April 10, a power outage is ongoing in eastern parts of Pretoria, Gauteng Province; the outage began late April 9. The outage is due to the collapse of a major powerline. City officials have stated the Mamelodi, Waltloo, Silverton, Silver Lankes, Faerie Glen, Equestria, Mooikloof, Doornpoort, Waterval, Grootvlei East, Grootvlei West, Bultfontein, Rooiwal, Vastfontein extension, Lyttleton Die Hoewas and parts of Moreletapark remain with electricity. Officials have not provided an estimated time for when repairs will be completed, citing the impact of inclement weather.

The blackout will likely prompt business and telecommunications disruptions across the island until power is restored, and residual disruptions are possible even after electricity is restored. Transport disruptions are likely in areas with malfunctioning traffic signals. The power outage could result in the temporary unavailability of essential services, such as ATMs and gas stations. The blackout could also adversely affect security protocols, including alarm systems and electronic fences; opportunistic criminal activity could increase during the outage.

Advice

Unplug electronic equipment that is not connected to surge protectors. Exercise caution when driving in areas affected by the power outage. Confirm business appointments. Verify that security systems are operational, including after power is restored. Ensure that generators are functional and fully fueled. Monitor local news sources for further developments.