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Generator Hire in South Africa

A free quote from generator hire companies across South Africa. One job card, no obligation.

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A yellow trailer-mounted hire generator parked on grass beside a white marquee, with cables running to a distribution box
BH-06
Rated output
2 to 500 kVA
Fuel
Diesel, some petrol
Output
Single phase 230 V or three phase 400 V
Service
Serviced by the hire company between hires
Turnaround
Same day to 2 working days, large sets booked ahead

Looking for a generator to hire? Generator hire suits events, building sites, film shoots, long municipal outages and standby while your own set is in for repair. Hire units range from small petrol generators for a few days to trailer-mounted diesel sets of several hundred kVA on monthly rental. GeneratorRepair.co.za is a free quote service: you fill in one form with the dates, the loads and the site, and we pass it to independent hire companies, who quote you directly. We do not own or rent out any generators ourselves.

What generator hire is used for

  • Events: weddings, festivals, markets and sports days, usually a silent diesel set with a distribution board
  • Construction sites: site offices, tower cranes, mixers and power tools before the permanent supply is connected
  • Standby cover: a hired set keeps a business or farm running while its own unit goes in for generator repairs or a major service
  • Outages: substation failures and cable theft can leave an area dark for days or weeks
  • Film, mining and shutdowns: short, heavy loads for a fixed period

Generator hire prices and what is extra

Hire companies price per day, weekend, week or month, and the monthly rate is often close to three weekly rates. A generator hire price list usually leaves out:

  • Fuel: most units go out full and come back full, or you pay for the diesel used
  • Transport: delivery and collection is charged by distance, often per kilometre outside the metro
  • Deposit: refundable, and often higher for new customers
  • Insurance or damage waiver: theft and damage cover is either a percentage of the hire or your own policy
  • Cables and distribution boards: hired per item, with an electrician if it ties into a building

Sizing a generator to hire

List what will run and add it up in kW. Divide by 0.8 to get kVA, then add a margin for motors, sound systems and catering equipment that surge on start-up. A wedding marquee with lights, a band and a coffee machine may need 20 to 40 kVA, while a site office and tools often run on 10 to 20 kVA. On the Highveld, larger diesel sets lose some output at altitude, so mention your location.

Safe connection on site

Plug-in loads can run from the hire set's own sockets or distribution box. Connecting to a building's DB board needs a changeover switch fitted by a registered electrician, so the generator cannot feed back into municipal lines. Park the set outdoors, away from doors and windows, on level ground, and lock it at night.

What to include in your request

  • Give the hire dates and hours per day
  • List the loads, or the kVA you think you need
  • Supply the full site address for delivery
  • Say whether you need cables and a distribution board
  • Ask whether fuel, deposit and damage waiver are included

Generator Hire for different sites

  • Homes: a portable unit hired for a party, renovation or while the home genset is repaired
  • Estates and complexes: a hired set keeping the gate, pumps and lights going during a long outage
  • Farms and smallholdings: a trailer genset for harvest, shearing or a borehole pump while the farm set is away
  • Shops, offices and restaurants: standby hire for a shop or office while its own generator is in the workshop
  • Factories, mines and sites: site power for cranes, offices and tools, or cover during a plant shutdown
  • Lodges, venues and events: a silent diesel set with a distribution board for a wedding, festival or film shoot
  • Clinics, schools and towers: emergency hire for a clinic, school or pump station during a substation failure

Frequently asked questions

Does GeneratorRepair.co.za hire out generators?
No. We run a free quote service and own no hire fleet. Your request is shared with independent hire companies in your area, who send their own rates and terms. You compare them and decide, with nothing to pay us.
How much does generator hire cost?
As a rough guide, a small petrol or inverter unit costs about R350 to R800 a day, a 20 kVA silent diesel R1,200 to R2,500 a day, and a 100 kVA trailer set R3,500 to R7,000 a day. Weekly and monthly rates work out cheaper. Fuel, transport and deposit are usually extra, and prices vary by region and season.
Can I find generator hire near me at short notice?
Often, yes, especially for small and mid-size sets in the metros. Large units and busy December or wedding season dates book up early. Mark your request as urgent and give the exact address and start time.
Should I hire or buy a generator?
Hire is usually better for anything under a few months or a one-off event. If you need backup through regular load-shedding, compare the hire cost with buying a generator, which often pays for itself within a year of steady use.

Generator Hire by province and city

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Fill in the job card: your generator (or the one you need), what is going on and where it is. Technicians, dealers and hire companies who work in your area quote you directly. Free, no obligation.

Job cardNo. assigned when sent · generatorrepair.co.za

Generator details

RefMake, model or descriptionkVAFuelRemove
G1
G2
Up to 12. Don't know the size? Leave kVA empty.
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