[WATCH] Tshwane residents: How to survive the power outages
Residents in the east of Tshwane have been dumped in darkness since Tuesday.
It is unclear when electricity will be restored after the Wapadrand substation was engulfed in flames.
The Tshwane Metro hopes to have temporary power fully restored by Friday to thousands of households in Wapadrand, Faerie Glen, Equestria, Silver Lakes, Lombardy, Zwavelpoort and Olympus.
Businesses selling non-electricity appliances have been booming with residents queuing to buy gas products and generators, in a bid to soften the impact of the power outage.
A father of a newly born baby says they had to make emergency plans to ensure that the outage doesn't result in health concerns.
"With a six-month baby at home you can't quite be without hot water or electricity to sterilize bottles and make sure everything he needs is there."
A barista, Cynthia Le Roux hopes that City Power will soon find a solution as her business doesn't have a generator.
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"We have lost a lot of business. We cannot roast beans can't make coffee. We've had to take out all our frozen foods out of the fridges because we can't lose that money as well. Business has taken a fall."
A Resident, Andy Shackleton, unhappy about the long queues alluded that the situation creates awareness as to how other citizens are living.
"We spend quite a lot of time in queues. It sort of gives you an insight of how the majority of South Africans live without power, and how privileged we are to have power even though we paying for it."
Makro in Silverlakes general manager, Lisa Cotley says their business has been booming.
"The last two days with the power outages products that have been selling the most are generators, gas bottles, kettles, two plates stoves - anything that is related to that."
Jacaranda FM visited a few businesses and residents to find out how they're coping.