Rustenburg power outages today (30 October 2026): affected areas, causes and when power returns
Tlhabane, Phokeng, Buamja and Lefaragatla have been without power since Thursday evening. Eskom blames a tripped line and theft and vandalism, and has no restoration time yet.
Parts of Rustenburg in North West are without electricity on Friday, 30 October 2026. Eskom says Tlhabane, Phokeng, Buamja, Lefaragatla and surrounding areas lost power on Thursday evening, and that technicians are now dealing with outages caused by theft and vandalism (Eskom, 30 Oct, 11:33). Eskom has not given a restoration time. This is not load shedding (Eskom).
Which Rustenburg areas have no power?
| Area | Off since | Cause (Eskom) | Expected back |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tlhabane | Thursday, 29 October, about 20:11 | Tripped line, then theft and vandalism | Not given |
| Phokeng | Thursday, 29 October, about 20:11 | Tripped line, then theft and vandalism | Not given |
| Buamja (Buanja) | Thursday, 29 October, about 20:11 | Tripped line, then theft and vandalism | Not given |
| Lefaragatla | Thursday, 29 October, about 20:11 | Tripped line, then theft and vandalism | Not given |
Times are SAST, based on Eskom's posts on 29 October and 30 October. Eskom says "surrounds" are affected too but has not named other areas.
What caused the outage?
Eskom first said on Thursday evening that a tripped line had cut supply and that teams were on site (Eskom, 29 Oct, 20:11). Its update on Friday morning says technicians are attending to outages in parts of Rustenburg "due to theft and vandalism" (Eskom, 30 Oct, 11:33).
It is the second outage in the same area this week. On Tuesday, 27 October, Eskom reported an unplanned outage in Tlhabane, Lefaragatlha, Buanja and Phokeng caused by a trip on the 88kV line (Eskom, 27 Oct, 15:16).
When will power be restored?
Eskom has not said. Its latest update says the estimated time of restoration is "currently unavailable" (Eskom, 30 Oct, 11:33). Residents on ESP report that power was still off in Tlhabane Unit 1 and the other named areas at midday, and that a pole has fallen near buildings in Tlhabane Unit 1 (ESP community reports). These are residents' reports, not confirmed by Eskom.
What should I do while the power is off?
- Switch off appliances at the wall so a power surge does not damage them when supply returns.
- Stay at least 10 metres away from fallen poles or lines and report them to Eskom straight away.
- Report your outage to Eskom with your account or meter number so it is logged.
How do I report an outage or theft to Eskom?
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| Eskom customer care | 08600 37 566 |
| Eskom crime line (cable theft, vandalism) | 0800 11 27 22 |
Numbers from Eskom. Updates are posted on Eskom's X account.
FAQ
Which Rustenburg areas have no power on 30 October 2026?
Eskom lists Tlhabane, Phokeng, Buamja, Lefaragatla and surrounding areas.
Why is the power off in Tlhabane and Phokeng?
Eskom says a line tripped on Thursday evening, and on Friday it said technicians were dealing with outages caused by theft and vandalism.
How do I report a power outage to Eskom?
Call Eskom customer care on 08600 37 566. Report cable theft or vandalism on the Eskom crime line, 0800 11 27 22.
Sources
- Eskom on X: Rustenburg outage update, theft and vandalism (30 October 2026)
- Eskom on X: Tlhabane, Phokeng, Buamja and Lefaragatla outage (29 October 2026)
- Eskom on X: 88kV line trip, Tlhabane and Phokeng (27 October 2026)
- Eskom load shedding status
- Eskom Distribution: Outages and contact numbers
- ESP: Rustenburg community outage reports
- Wikimedia Commons: South Africa electricity distribution (NJR ZA, CC BY-SA 3.0)
