Alex residents march, accuse City Power of going back on electricity agreement

A protest by River Park residents in Alexandra has reignited long-standing frustrations over electricity, with the community accusing City Power of failing to deliver on a promise made a year ago to electrify the Mahauzana Flats.

Residents took to the streets on Tuesday, marching to the Alexandra service delivery centre to demand immediate electricity connections, upgrades to the ageing network and faster responses from the utility.

Community members said City Power had committed in July 2025 to electrify the Mahauzana Flats, but alleged that little progress had been made. They also complained that the area’s electricity infrastructure is overloaded, resulting in ongoing supply disruptions.

In response, City Power confirmed it had received the community’s memorandum and said it recognised the residents’ right to protest peacefully.

However, the utility said it could not legally provide electricity to the Mahauzana Flats because the buildings were unlawfully occupied and the occupants were not registered City Power customers. It said the area was also affected by widespread illegal electricity and water connections, which placed excessive strain on the local network.

City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena said illegal connections have contributed to repeated power interruptions in neighbouring communities during the recent winter peak demand period after the network became overloaded and repeatedly tripped.

City Power said permanent electricity could only be provided once the development had been regularised through the department of human settlements and the illegal occupation and electricity connections addressed.

It added that it would remove the illegal connections in the coming days as part of efforts to improve public safety and protect the electricity network.

The utility said the Mahauzana electrification project was under way and included plans to install a formal mini-substation, pillar box and sub-metering system.

Mangena said the utility planned to provide bulk electricity to the development once the required internal electrical infrastructure had been completed and all safety requirements had been met. He said the decision was prompted by concerns raised by paying customers in the surrounding area.

Mangena said someone had to take responsibility for paying for the electricity consumed, and that City Power was engaging the department of human settlements to ensure the process could move forward lawfully.

He said the utility remained committed to supplying electricity to residents but stressed that any future connections would have to comply with legal and safety requirements and be implemented in partnership with relevant government departments.

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