While City Power does provide a route for residents to seek compensation, the gap between suffering a loss and successfully proving it may be far wider than many households expect.
For many Johannesburg residents, the financial impact of a prolonged power outage begins only after the electricity returns.
Previous IOL analysis found replacing the contents of a typical household freezer could cost around R2,000. But food is often the smallest loss.
A power surge can destroy a television, desktop computer or the backup power equipment many households invested in during the load-shedding years, leaving families facing repair or replacement costs running into tens of thousands of rand.
For those whose insurance no longer covers power surges, or whose policies require expensive excesses or strict conditions, claiming from City Power may appear to be the only option.
