Benoni residents left in darkness for days demand answers from Ekurhuleni Metro as frustration, fear and desperation mount across the East Rand suburb, where a prolonged electricity outage has pushed households, businesses and vulnerable residents to breaking point.
The Benoni power outage, which began on 23 January, has dragged on for more than ten days, with residents accusing the Ekurhuleni Metro electricity crisis of being poorly managed and badly communicated. While power was briefly restored in some areas, it lasted only a few hours before residents were once again plunged into darkness.
Prolonged power cuts in Benoni spark public outrage
The prolonged power cuts in Benoni have severely disrupted daily life, forcing families to throw away spoiled food, shutting down small businesses and leaving entire neighbourhoods without basic services.
Affected areas include Rynfield, Northmead, Mackenzie Park, Rynsoord, New Modder, Western Extension, as well as parts of the Benoni central business district. Residents say the rolling blackouts have gone far beyond load shedding and now resemble a full-scale infrastructure failure.
Many households report losing thousands of rands’ worth of groceries as fridges and freezers remained without power for days at a time. Others have struggled to work from home, keep children safe at night, or maintain basic hygiene.
Health risks emerge amid Benoni power outage
One of the most alarming aspects of the crisis has been its impact on medically vulnerable residents. Jeff Smith, a Benoni resident living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), relies on an oxygen concentrator to survive.
Smith told eNCA that the ongoing outage has placed his life at risk.
“I need the oxygen overnight because my blood oxygen levels get too low. The only alternative is to try and sleep upright, and with a recently injured back, I struggle,” he said.
With summer temperatures soaring, Smith described waking up exhausted and weak every morning, uncertain whether his power supply would hold long enough to keep his medical equipment running.
Even households with backup systems are struggling. Inverters and batteries are unable to cope with extended outages, especially when medical devices are involved.
Financial strain adds to residents’ desperation
Beyond the health risks, the Benoni power outage has placed severe financial pressure on residents, particularly pensioners and low-income households.
Smith revealed that his household had already thrown away three bin bags of spoiled food, a devastating loss for someone living on a fixed income.
“We’re on pension. It’s depressing. In this day and age, this should not happen,” he said.
Residents argue that the situation reflects deeper failures within the Ekurhuleni Metro electricity crisis, particularly around infrastructure maintenance and contingency planning.
Benoni residents demand answers from Ekurhuleni Metro
As anger grows, Benoni residents demand answers over what caused the outage, why it has taken so long to resolve, and when reliable electricity will finally be restored.
Ward 73 councillor Mary Goby criticised the metro’s handling of the situation, accusing officials of poor communication and a lack of transparency.
“In the beginning, they were keeping us up to date, but now we go 72 hours without any updates,” Goby said.
She stressed that residents would have been more understanding if regular progress reports had been issued, even if repairs were taking time.
“Our biggest problem is that the communication is very bad,” she added.
Communication breakdown worsens Ekurhuleni Metro electricity crisis
Residents say the lack of updates has fuelled anxiety and misinformation, with conflicting reports circulating on social media about cable theft, transformer failures and infrastructure collapse.
The Ekurhuleni Metro electricity crisis has once again highlighted long-standing concerns around aging infrastructure, vandalism and theft, all of which continue to undermine service delivery across the metro.
Political pressure mounts as parties intervene
The VF Plus has formally written to Ekurhuleni city manager Kagiso Lerutla, demanding clarity on the root causes of the outages and the metro’s long-term repair strategy.
In the letter, the party asked:
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What caused the repeated power failures in Benoni
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What steps are being taken to ensure sustainable repairs
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How the city plans to combat ongoing cable theft
The party warned that unless urgent action is taken, residents will continue to suffer under unreliable electricity supply.
Broader implications for Benoni and Ekurhuleni
The situation in Benoni raises serious questions about the resilience of electricity infrastructure across Ekurhuleni. Residents fear that without meaningful intervention, similar crises could unfold in other suburbs.
Local businesses have also been hard hit, with some reporting lost income, damaged stock and reduced operating hours. For small enterprises still recovering from economic pressure, prolonged outages could be the final blow.
Calls for accountability and long-term solutions
Community members are now calling for:
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Clear timelines for power restoration
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Regular public communication from the metro
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Investment in infrastructure upgrades
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Stronger action against cable theft
Residents say temporary fixes are no longer acceptable and that the metro must prioritise long-term solutions to prevent future outages.
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Conclusion
As Benoni residents left in darkness for days demand answers from Ekurhuleni Metro, the unfolding crisis has become a powerful symbol of broader service delivery failures. From health risks and financial losses to political pressure and public outrage, the impact of the Benoni power outage continues to ripple across the community.
Unless urgent, transparent and sustainable action is taken, residents warn that trust in the metro will continue to erode — leaving Benoni’s future, quite literally, in the dark.
References from mainstream
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Benoni residents left in darkness for days demand answers from Ekurhuleni Metro — Coverage of the extended power outage in Benoni and residents’ urgent calls for clarification from the metro government.
👉 https://iol.co.za/the-star/news/2026-02-02-benoni-residents-left-in-darkness-for-days-demand-answers-from-ekurhuleni-metro/
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