Grid outages in Gauteng: what still cuts the power

Since mid-May 2025, South Africa has had no national scheduled power cuts. Eskom reported 532 consecutive days without them by 30 October 2026, counted from 16 May 2025 [1]. That is real progress. Yet many Gauteng households still sit in the dark on a regular basis, because the problems that cut power to a street are mostly local, not national.

This guide explains what still causes grid outages, which parts of your home are worth keeping on, and how a battery backup system takes over when the grid goes down.

What still causes outages in Gauteng

Load reduction

Load reduction is different from national scheduled power cuts. Eskom switches off specific feeders, as a temporary, targeted measure, in areas where illegal connections, meter tampering and overloading damage the network. On 30 October 2026, Eskom said about 193 556 customers were still affected, with the remaining load reduction confined to parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. Eskom aims to end it by March 2027 [1].

Cable theft, vandalism and failing equipment

In Johannesburg, City Power has linked about one in five outages to cable theft and vandalism [3]. Substations and underground cables are targeted, and repairs can take days. Ageing equipment, overloaded mini-substations and storm damage add to the list. None of these depend on how much power Eskom generates.

Planned maintenance

Municipalities and Eskom also switch areas off for scheduled maintenance. These outages are announced, but they still mean hours without power.

The second problem: tariffs that rise every year

Outages are only half the story. NERSA approved an average increase of 8.76% for Eskom direct customers from 1 April 2026, and 9.01% for municipalities buying from Eskom from 1 July 2026 [2]. Municipalities then set their own tariffs for the homes they supply. A system that keeps the lights on during outages can also cut the grid power you buy every day, which is why most homes now look at solar and a battery together rather than a battery alone.

Which circuits to keep running

The first decision is not which battery to buy. It is what you want to keep on when the grid is off. Most Gauteng homes start with these:

• Security: the gate motor, alarm, electric fence, outside lights and cameras.
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, the fibre router and anything you need to work from home.
• Food: fridges and freezers.
• Lighting and plugs: indoor lights and a few plug points for TVs, laptops and phones.
• Water: a borehole or pressure pump, if your home relies on one.

Heavy loads such as geysers, stoves, ovens, pool pumps and air-conditioners use far more power. They can be backed up, but they make the system much bigger. Many homes keep them on the grid, or run them from solar during the day.

How battery backup works

A backup system has three main parts: a hybrid inverter, a battery, and the wiring that separates the backed-up circuits from the rest of the house.

1. Grid on: your home runs from the grid and, if you have panels, from solar first. The battery charges from solar or the grid and waits.
2. Grid off: the system disconnects from the grid and supplies the backed-up circuits from the battery and any solar. Depending on the equipment, the switch can be fast enough that lights and Wi-Fi don’t flicker. The Sigenergy SigenStor with a Sigen Gateway, for example, is designed for a 0 ms switch to backup.
3. Grid back: the system reconnects and recharges the battery for the next outage.

For safety, a grid-tied system must not feed power into the grid while it is down, because technicians may be working on the lines. Inverters used on South African networks have to meet the NRS 097-2-1 standard, which covers this protection, and the installation has to be registered with your electricity supplier. Our guide to SSEG approval explains that process.

Battery only, or solar and battery?

A battery-only system charges from the grid and covers outages. It doesn’t reduce your bill, and long outages can drain it. Adding solar panels lets the system recharge during the day and cut the grid power you buy, which is how a backup system also works against rising tariffs. You can start with a battery and add panels later if the inverter is chosen with that in mind.

Orilla Solar installs Sigenergy and Sungrow systems for homes. Both brands offer stackable batteries that can grow with you: the Sigenergy SigenStor and SigenStor Neo are both premium systems with one to six battery modules per controller, and the Sungrow SBH battery comes in 5 kWh modules from 10 to 40 kWh per unit. See home solar and battery backup for the options.

How to decide

1. List the circuits you want to keep on during an outage.
2. Look at your electricity bills, or better, measure your real usage. Orilla Solar uses data logging to see how your home actually uses power before sizing anything.
3. Decide how many hours of backup you need, especially in the evening, when the household uses the most power.
4. Get a first estimate with our savings calculator, and look at finance options if you prefer not to pay cash.

Our guide to how much battery your home needs takes the sizing step further.