Power outages affecting Eskom customers continue to be reported in parts of South Africa, with the nature of interruptions varying between local network faults, maintenance-related work and Eskom’s load-reduction programme. The utility’s current load-shedding information states that Eskom is not implementing load shedding because of high demand or urgent generation maintenance, although individual customers may still experience local outages.
A significant outage reported on September 28, 2026, affected Eskom-related electricity supplies to Rand Water’s Zuikerbosch and Lethabo pumping stations. The interruption began at about 9:45 a.m. and electricity was restored at approximately 11:20 a.m. However, Rand Water said its systems require additional time to fully recover following a power disruption.
The interruption temporarily affected water systems serving parts of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane, as well as several surrounding municipalities. Residents in affected areas may therefore experience reduced water pressure or temporary water interruptions even after electricity has been restored.
Eskom has also continued its load-reduction programme in selected areas where electricity networks are under significant pressure. According to reporting published today, Eskom said load reduction currently affects about 247,617 customers, or 3.4% of its customer base, substantially fewer than during earlier stages of the programme.
Local electricity faults can also occur independently of load shedding. These may result from damaged equipment, cable theft, vandalism, technical failures or other problems affecting distribution infrastructure. Eskom has previously warned that theft and vandalism can cause prolonged interruptions and require extensive repairs.
Customers who receive electricity directly from Eskom can report an outage through Eskom's self-service channels or by calling 08600 37566. Eskom says customers should have details such as their account or meter number and address available when reporting a fault.
Residents should distinguish between load shedding, load reduction and unexpected faults, as each can have a different cause and restoration process. Anyone experiencing an unplanned outage should check Eskom or their local municipality for the latest information and report the interruption if it has not already been logged.
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