Residents and businesses in parts of Kempton Park must prepare for a scheduled blackout on Tuesday, 8 October 2025. The City of Ekurhuleni confirmed a six-hour Kempton Park power outage to allow for vital maintenance at the local substation.
According to the City, this proactive step is intended to prevent longer, unplanned breakdowns and ensure a reliable power supply. While the outage will be disruptive, officials stress that it is essential for long-term stability.
Kempton Park Power Outage: Which Areas Will Be Affected?
The six-hour blackout will affect both homes and businesses. The primary zones are:
- Isando Industrial Area – a key logistics and industrial hub.
- Rhodesfield Residential Area – a family neighbourhood close to OR Tambo International Airport.
Other nearby suburbs could experience knock-on effects, but the City has specifically highlighted these two areas as the most impacted.
Rising costs add to frustrations, as seen in Thembisa Residents Clash with City Over Increasing Electricity Tariffs
Why the Maintenance Matters
The City of Ekurhuleni explained that the work is focused on upgrading and repairing equipment at the Kempton Park substation. Substations are critical to keeping the grid stable, and failures here can cause extended blackouts.
City spokesperson Zweli Dlamini stated:
“Areas that will be affected is the Isando industrial area, as well as Rhodesfield. We do apologise for the inconvenience this will cause for the six hours that the work will be undertaken but we do believe that this is critical work that must be done … to ensure quality and sustainable power supply in these areas.”
This outage forms part of ongoing efforts to modernise infrastructure and manage high demand. By September 2025, Kempton Park had already faced over 184 hours of planned maintenance outages this year.
Context: South Africa’s Broader Energy Challenges
South Africa continues to grapple with balancing planned maintenance and avoiding nationwide load shedding. Encouragingly, Eskom’s system reports show an Energy Availability Factor (EAF) above 70%, with unplanned outages down to 7,055 MW (Eskom).
While the national grid is stable, municipalities like Ekurhuleni must still carry out localised maintenance. These scheduled interruptions, though inconvenient, are seen as vital to preventing large-scale crises.
Households are also watching shifts in policy, such as the Free Basic Electricity Policy Changes You Should Know
How Residents Can Prepare
To cope with the blackout, residents and businesses should prepare ahead:
- Charge devices: Phones, laptops, and medical equipment must be ready.
- Manage food storage: Keep fridges closed and cook meals in advance.
- Backup power: Businesses in Isando may need generators to keep critical operations running.
- Stay safe: Unplug electronics to prevent damage from power surges when supply resumes.
Families with special medical needs should contact the City or healthcare providers for support during the outage.
Impact on Businesses and Households
The planned Kempton Park power outage will have different effects on industry and households. Factories and logistics centres in Isando may face production delays and higher generator costs. Families in Rhodesfield will lose lighting, internet, and refrigeration for much of the day.
However, experts argue that short-term sacrifices reduce the risk of long unplanned blackouts, which can stretch over days.
National policy updates continue, with the Minister Announces End to Load Reduction, sparking wide public debate.
The Kempton Park power outage on 8 October is a reminder of the balancing act between short-term disruption and long-term grid reliability. The City of Ekurhuleni urges residents and businesses to prepare, emphasising that this work is crucial to ensure a sustainable electricity supply.
For real-time updates, residents can follow the City of Ekurhuleni’s official notices or Eskom’s system status page.
