Eskom has announced that load shedding is returning from today, 31 January 2025. Stage 3 power cuts have kicked in today from 17:00. South Africans can expect rolling blackouts throughout the weekend. Unsurprisingly, this comes as a shock to most people after Mzansi has not had load shedding for over 10 months.
Is load shedding back to stay?
In a media statement published by the government, it says that ‘after more than 10 months of uninterrupted electricity supply due to the success of the Generation Recovery Plan, Eskom has issued an alert indicating a high risk of load shedding at short notice’ and that it is a ‘potentially temporary’ situation.
It continues to state that load shedding is largely a thing of the past due to the structural improvements in the generation fleet.
[BREAKING NEWS] Eskom announces blackouts from 5pm today. #DStv403 #eNCA pic.twitter.com/Pi0JdiC9R4
— eNCA (@eNCA) January 31, 2025
Why is it back?
According to the media statement mentioned before, Eskom has experienced several breakdowns that require extended repair times over the past seven days. This has necessitated the use of all their emergency reserves. Consequently, Eskom must now replenish these. Eskom will monitor the status of their current emergency reserves, and load shedding over the weekend and could possibly increase the load shedding up to Stage 4.
Energy analyst Ruse Moleshe explained some reasons that have led to the return of load shedding. ‘From a systems management point of view internationally, there’s generally significant reserved capacity to mitigate any problems that may occur on power plants in this case we [referring to Eskom] are still fragile,’ she said.
Eskom’s stage 3 rolling blackouts will return from 5pm today. Energy analyst Ruse Moleshe says this is a shock to most people. She explains some reasons that have led to the return of loadshedding.
“From a systems management point of view internationally, there’s generally… pic.twitter.com/cKbklBF5Ak
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) January 31, 2025
Mzansi reacts
Unsurprisingly, comments were rife on social media following the news that load shedding is back. Here’s what South Africans had to say on X:
‘And it’s not even winter yet. The national grid isn’t strained. Come winter, load shedding will be implemented full-time.’
‘As it starts now, it’ll go on for many more years until it is election time again.’
‘Eskom treats us like that toxic ex, you think they’ve changed, they promise things will be different, then BOOM, darkness at 5pm.’
‘Why aren’t we doing something about the generation of electricity with new power stations? Why are we just “accepting and dealing with it” but not solving the problems of not enough power and increasing costs that is in turn pushing inflation up and all of our costs of food?’
‘This is deliberate because NERSA wouldn’t give them the increase they are demanding.’
How did you react when you heard that load shedding is back this weekend?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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