Eskom has announced a load rotation schedule for parts of Gauteng after a transformer fire at the Seboka Substation damaged critical equipment.

The fire forced Eskom to implement rotational power cuts to manage supply while repairs take place. The utility’s Gauteng Cluster newsletter, Connect, confirmed the schedule was necessitated by the transformer fire and would run initially from 8 to 11 July.

Eskom has since confirmed the arrangement will continue until 12 July, as the replacement of the damaged transformer is still in progress. The utility said the temporary schedule remains necessary to ensure affected customers continue to receive electricity at scheduled intervals while the work is underway.

Areas and times affected by the load rotation

The rotation affects Sebokeng Zones 3, 6 and 7, as well as parts of Zone 7B. Supply is cut in four-hour blocks throughout each day, rotating between the different zones so that no single area goes without power for the full period.

Eskom has urged customers to treat all electrical appliances and installations as live throughout the load rotation period. The utility warned that supply may be restored without prior notice, meaning any appliances left switched on could power up unexpectedly.

Customers have also been asked to switch on electrical appliances gradually once supply returns, rather than all at once, to avoid overloading the local network.

Eskom apologises for the disruption

Eskom acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the rotating outages and said it is working to restore normal supply as soon as possible. The utility cautioned that circumstances beyond its control could still affect implementation, meaning the schedule may not always run exactly as planned.

“We will continue to provide updates as work progresses,” Eskom said, thanking customers for their patience while repairs continue.