Tshwane metro alerts residents of a planned 2-hour power outage

PRETORIA - The Tshwane metro is reminding residents that sections of the Central Business District will experience a 2-hour planned power outage on Saturday to allow for audit and maintenance work at the Boom substation.

The city’s energy and electricity business unit said the interruption, scheduled between 10h00 and 12h00, is part of efforts to ensure a reliable and safe electricity supply.

Several major streets and institutions will be affected, including Bloed, Boom, Struben, Johannes Ramokhoase and Madiba streets, as well as the Tshwane fresh produce market and Tshwane leadership and management academy.

City spokesperson Lindela Mashigo has urged residents to take extra caution around electricity infrastructure during this time.

"Residents are urged to always treat all network points as live, including during the period of electricity supply interruption. The City of Tshwane apologises profusely for the inconvenience that may arise as a result of the mentioned work," said Mashigo.

Meanwhile, the metro is also warning residents of fraudsters posing as city revenue officials who demand payment by threatening to disconnect their electricity supply.

Mashigo says victims are tricked into paying via e-wallet, private bank accounts, or cash.

"In situations where a customer’s account is in arrears, that customer should approach any of the city’s customer relation management offices to make use of our credit control and debt arrangements policies to avoid disconnections," Mashigo said.

He adds that all legitimate payments must only be made to the city’s cashiers or at approved retailers using account numbers as reference.