South Africa’s richest city is Failing

Johannesburg, the financial centre and largest city of South Africa, has managed to maintain its status as the richest city in South Africa despite the poor conditions of its residents and the inability to provide basic services.

Johannesburg, the financial capital of South Africa, is home to many different companies, the headquarters of major financial institutions and Africa's largest stock exchange, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).

Although the city is rich and has elite residences, it struggles with infrastructure and service deficiencies, affecting the management of the crisis and raising questions about the city's security.

The city’s power problems are unique to its woes. Johannesburg electricity distributor City Power is unable to provide consistent, reliable service.

As early as 2024, residents will be facing rolling power outages, not only because of Eskom’s global electricity restrictions, but also because of the city’s own ageing and poor management control.

According to a report published by the Energy Municipality, the plan faces major challenges due to its aging process, which is well beyond its expected lifespan of over 50 years.

Power City states that it is undergoing a significant maintenance process and that a significant portion of the city's budget is allocated to emergency repairs.

Despite efforts to address these problems, the city's energy capacity remains limited.

The electricity grid frequently fails, especially during peak demand, leaving many people in the dark for long periods.