Storm causes widespread power outages across Cape Town
Damaged structures at Monwabisi Park Informal Settlements in Khayelitsha.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers
Severe gale-force winds and heavy rainfall have left large areas of Cape Town without power, as emergency electricity teams work to restore services amid hazardous weather conditions.
The City of Cape Town has issued an Orange Level weather warning and is urging residents to remain patient as officials anticipate a significant backlog of service requests. The combination of dangerous weather and high demand for assistance means that many residents may experience prolonged outages before power is fully restored.
In a statement released on Monday, the City confirmed that while technicians are on the ground, the elements are currently winning. The directive is clear: repairs will only be undertaken when it is safe to do so.
"It is unsafe for our teams to carry out electricity work during heavy rain, strong winds, or flooding," said Xanthea Limberg, Mayco member for Energy. "Electricity restoration will be undertaken as quickly as possible, but only when conditions are safe."
For thousands of households, this means a cold, dark night ahead. The City has urged residents to keep mobile phones and backup devices, such as Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) units and emergency lighting, fully charged in anticipation of extended outages.
A city divided by darkness
The list of affected areas reads like a map of the metro itself. From the leafy streets of Rondebosch and Kenilworth to the densely populated hubs of Gugulethu, Langa, and Hanover Park, no corner of the city has been spared.
Significant damage to infrastructure has been reported in:
The Southern Suburbs: Claremont, Plumstead, and Bergvliet.
The Northern Districts: Durbanville, Vredekloof, and Ravensmead.
The Peninsula: Bo-Kaap and Observatory.
The Atlantic & Helderberg: Strand and Helena Heights.
The fight against the backlog
The City’s call centres are currently being overwhelmed by a "high number of service requests." To prevent the system from buckling under the pressure of duplicate tickets, Alderman Limberg has requested that residents use only one reporting channel.
"We remind residents to report their electricity faults to the City via our service channels but to only use one channel when reporting so that duplicate service requests are avoided as far as possible," Limberg added.
While the City’s area outage list is being updated in real-time, officials stressed that just because an area isn't listed doesn't mean help isn't on the way—the backlog is simply unprecedented. Residents in Eskom-supply zones are reminded to contact the national utility provider directly, as City teams are unable to intervene on Eskom’s infrastructure.
How to report a fault
The City requests that you use one of the following official channels and keep your account details ready:
Call Centre: 0860 103 089
WhatsApp: 060 018 1505
SMS: 31220 (Standard rates apply)
As the storm continues to batter the Cape, the message from the Civic Centre is one of resilience and caution: stay indoors, stay dry, and wait for the wind to drop before expecting the hum of the grid to return.