Power outages hit several Durban areas after intense windstorm

Strong winds across Durban have left several communities without electricity after damaging overhead power infrastructure on Saturday afternoon, 22 August 2026.

The eThekwini Municipality’s Electricity and Energy Directorate is currently attending to multiple outages, with technical teams working to restore electricity to areas that remain affected.

Strong winds damage electricity infrastructure

According to the municipality, most of the outages occurred on overhead medium-voltage (OHM) circuits, which are particularly vulnerable during periods of strong winds.

Tree branches and other objects blown by the wind, including roof sheets, can damage overhead electricity lines and equipment, resulting in power outages.

Affected areas include:

• Baphehli
• Folweni
• Amaoti
• Waterloo
• Moriah
• Klaarwater
• Savannah Park
• Inanda
• Gunjini
• Redcliffe
• Malukazi
• KwaNdengezi
• Clermont
• Umlazi C
• Thornwood

The municipality said other areas may also be affected.

Electricity restoration underway

The municipality said that technical teams worked through the night following the outages, and electricity has already been restored to several affected communities around Durban.

Teams remain deployed across the city and are working through the outstanding faults to bring the remaining areas back online.

However, the municipality warned that restoring power after damage to overhead lines can take time.

“The restoration of electricity supply can take time, as switching staff and technical teams are required to inspect the affected overhead line circuits to identify the cause of the fault.” the municipality said.

Once the problem has been located, repairs must be completed before electricity can safely be restored.

This means some residents may remain without power while teams work through the backlog.

The municipality has also urged residents to stay away from fallen or damaged electricity infrastructure.

Durban residents should report damaged electricity equipment or fallen lines through the municipality’s official electricity fault-reporting channels rather than approaching or attempting to move the infrastructure themselves.