City Power Restores Electricity to Johannesburg CBD After M1 Fire, Still Faces Challenges

• City Power has reported progress in Johannesburg CBD power restoration following the M1 fire but faces challenges in Braamfontein
• The utility had to halt work due to safety concerns but plans to resume soon, focusing on replacing damaged cables
• The utility said it managed to turn the lights back on in Parktown and a small section of Braamfontein, but it plans to switch on more customers

Trisha Pillay is a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg. For 13 years, she has devoted her professional life to covering social issues and community news, sharing her expertise with newsrooms like The Citizen newspaper, African News Network, and Newzroom Afrika. Do you have a hard news story you would like to share? Email trisha.pillay@briefly.co.za with CA in the subject line.

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JOHANNESBURG - City Power has confirmed that power has been restored to parts of the Johannesburg CBD.

Power restored

According to eNCA, the area was left powerless after the M1 underground fire. The utility says it's working around the clock to fully restore electricity.

It said it had to abandon the restoration on Saturday because of visibility problems and safety concerns. The utility will resume work on Sunday.

It is also working on replacing the burnt and stolen cables. The utility has been facing challenges in restoring the electricity parts of Braamfontein and its surrounding areas following an underground fire on the M1. However, City Power says it is working around the clock to ensure all the affected areas have electricity.

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On Workers' Day, thousands of residents were plunged into darkness in the inner city after the fire destroyed underground electricity cables.

Click on the tweet below for more updates:

Mzansi weigh in

People around Johannesburg have voiced their frustration over the power outage, while others are grateful for the restoration of electricity to parts of the city.

Here are some of the reactions:

@KattMnisi frustrated:

"When will power be restored? It’s been two weeks without electricity in Smit Street Braamfontein."

@mangoes77 said:

"We haven't had electricity in Braamfontein for two weeks."

@David Miguel Rodrigues commented:

"R1 000 000 for the actual cost of the repair and R22 000 000 into the cadres pockets,"

@Sam said

"This is too much. When can we restore this, actually,"

@Lobre commented:

"While we are grateful for the attention to this, it is just too much now."

Johannesburg M1 Bridge Inferno

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In a related story, Briefly News reported about Johannesburg Emergency Management Services firefighters who tamed the M1 inferno after 18 hours.

Reports suggest that the blaze could've been started by thieves who reportedly burnt the 88-volt cable.

City Power was expected to assess the extent of the damage once firefighters deemed the area safe.

Source: Briefly News