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16 October 2026 at 8am:
eThekwini Municipality’s Electricity and Energy Directorate teams restored electricity supply at Westmead Substation after completing temporary repairs last night (Thursday).
However, the municipality warned that two panels sustained severe damage and couldn't be repaired immediately. While most affected customers have had their power restored, the distribution network remains constrained.
The municipality notes that customers supplied by Westmead Substation may experience poor-quality electricity supply over the next few months because the current arrangement is temporary.
Permanent repairs are still required, and the city will schedule this work and communicate details through its official communication channels. The city will also communicate any necessary electricity interruptions in advance.
The municipality apologised for the continued inconvenience and thanked affected residents and businesses for their patience as teams work to stabilise the network and ensure a reliable electricity supply.
Power restored in uMdloti as Westmead waits for repairs
Residents affected by the uMdloti Beach Substation outage have their electricity back. For those supplied by Westmead Substation, the wait continues, with power being restored in phases and no confirmed time for all affected customers to be reconnected.
Separate faults at the two substations left parts of Durban without electricity from the early hours of Wednesday, 14 October. eThekwini Municipality said the incidents were unrelated.
In its 10 am update on Thursday, 15 October, the city said supply had been fully restored to customers connected to uMdloti Beach Substation. Repairs and testing were still underway at Westmead.
Which areas were affected?
The uMdloti Beach Substation outage affected uMdloti Beach, La Mercy, Desainager, Waterloo and surrounding communities supplied by the substation. The city says electricity has now been restored to these customers.
The areas affected by the Westmead Substation outage include:
- Caversham Glen
- Mahogany Ridge
- Motala Heights
- Pinetown North
- Westmead
Restoration is happening in phases, so some customers in these areas may have power back while others remain without electricity.
What caused the outages?
The city says both substations tripped early on Wednesday following suspected severe faults in their 11kV busbar sections, which distribute electricity within the substations.
The faults damaged equipment at both sites. Teams carried out repairs on Wednesday and worked overnight on temporary repairs to the remaining switchboard sections, according to the city.
When will power be fully restored in Westmead?
There is no confirmed time yet.
In its Thursday morning update, the municipality said teams were repairing and testing damaged switchboard sections at Westmead, allowing more circuits to be brought back into service.
For residents and businesses still without electricity, the key outstanding detail is when that work will be completed. The latest update did not provide a deadline for full restoration.
This article reflects the city’s update issued at 10 am on Thursday, 15 October.
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