The fire at the Waltloo Substation, the damage to the Njala Infeed Station and the Tshwane Metro’s decision to implement load reduction are not coincidental technical incidents. They are the foreseeable consequences of years of neglect, a shortage of skilled tradesmen and an administration that chooses to ignore warning signs until the lights go out.
Njala is crucial for Tshwane’s bulk power supply. When it loses transformer capacity, the Metro has to ration electricity between wards to prevent overloading. And that is not planning – it is crisis management. The introduction of load reduction and targeted load shedding confirms that the capital city’s power grid is no longer stable.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) had warned back in May already that the grid is gradually collapsing.
Tshwane operates 55 substations of 132 kV, but at the time had only 26 qualified technicians authorised to work on the high-voltage network – that is not even one for every two substations. The resolution rate for power faults had dropped to 37%, with more than 12 000 requests outstanding for longer than 90 days.
An official report dated 1 June 2026 warned that the network runs a high risk of widespread outages and blackouts should a primary transformer fail. That warning has now become a reality.
The Waltloo fire has already had a domino effect: Numerous areas supplied by primary substations – including Waltloo, Wingate, Heatherley, Mooikloof, Wapadrand, Scientia, Highlands, Willows, Lynnwood, Villieria, Koedoespoort, Pumulani, Pyramid and parts of Mamelodi – have been plunged into darkness.
The Freedom Front Plus demands immediate action:
- Independent assessment by an engineer: a comprehensive, transparent audit of the power network – not an internal report that can be swept under the rug.
- Private expertise: external high-voltage specialises should immediately be deployed to repair faults and plan safe backfeed.
- Tradesmen over managers: appointments based on merit. So, fewer “bosses” and more electricians who are qualified to repair substations.
- Communities and the private sector: where the Metro fails, civic organisations and businesses should be part of the solution. Solar power and microgrids should be encouraged.
- Honest communication: residents deserve continuous, hour-by-hour feedback on repair plans and load-reduction schedules.
On 4 November, voters have the opportunity to decide whether Pretoria will be a city with functioning substations, competent technicians and value for taxpayers’ money. This is the time for change.
