Share

Eskom load shedding - as it happened

accreditation
(Photo: Shutterstock).
(Photo: Shutterstock).
Last Updated

28 Jan 2015

Full Eskom statement:

Eskom would like to thank all the customers who responded to our call and reduced their electricity consumption, which has enabled us to stop load shedding earlier than anticipated.  

Stage 1 load shedding will stop at 14:00 today. Restoration of power to affected customers will start at the same time but it is important to note that this will take longer in some areas.

Eskom was able to stop load shedding earlier than expected today as a unit that was out on maintenance has returned and the demand for electricity is lower than had been forecast.

We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused to all affected customers. The system will continue to be under severe pressure for the rest of the week, and the risk of load shedding will remain medium to high.

In an effort to avoid load shedding, all electricity users are urged to switch off non-essential appliances, pool pumps and geysers throughout the day. Commercial customers, particularly shopping centres and office blocks, can make a big difference by switching off non-essential lights and not leaving office equipment such as photocopiers and computers in standby mode after hours.  

Eskom will continue to provide regular updates on the status of the power system through all media platforms.

28 Jan 2015

Eskom has just announced that load shedding ends now - 14:00.

Let us know if you're still experiencing load shedding.

28 Jan 2015

Gordon Angus: While the schedules are published and there is warning given by Eskom or the municipalities … when load shedding may occur, it’s very difficult for the power producers to give any sort of advanced warning as to when load shedding is going to kick in.
LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW

28 Jan 2015

Gordon Angus: Seifsa is in discussion with Eskom regarding contingencies and strategies to make load shedding more predictable and more conducive to production planning.

28 Jan 2015

Seifsa's Gordon Angus: Should employers arrive at work to find that there is no power due to load shedding, the employees may be sent home with a minimum of four hours pay for the day, which equates to half a shift worth of payment.

28 Jan 2015

Lionel October, director-general at dti: The war room, which meets every day, aims is to alleviate the impact of load shedding and to fast track new generation in capacity.
LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW

28 Jan 2015

Lionel October, director-general at dti, speaks to Fin24 about load shedding and Eskom's war room.  

28 Jan 2015

Gordon Angus, Industrial Relations Executive at Seifsa, speaks to Fin24 about what options industries have during load shedding.

28 Jan 2015

Fin24 user Emily Taukobong is feeling the brunt: I work in a factory in Pretoria where the policy is no work, no pay. I spend R60 daily for transport to & from work. Yesterday & today we were sent back home because of load shedding. We will therefore not get paid for those 2 days - after spending all that money for nothing. Really now, Eskom you're killing us!

28 Jan 2015

Some energy savings tips:

(Source: Eskom website)

<p>Some energy savings tips:</p><p>(<em>Source: Eskom website</em>)</p><p></p>

28 Jan 2015

Industry body Seifsa (Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa) on labour relations / pay in times of load shedding:

The following is an extract from section 7 of the Main Agreement Handbook, 2014/2015, from page 18.

Load shedding and power outages

Seifsa recommends that management adopt the following course of action in dealing with load shedding:

• where power is cut and management takes a decision to send employees home, then employees must be paid a minimum of four hours’ pay;

• should management require employees to remain at work until the power is restored, then employees must be paid in full;

• regardless of the fact that management has sent employees home, they will still be credited with a shift for the purpose of leave pay and leave enhancement pay calculations

28 Jan 2015

From a "concerned American pass port holder considering leaving this beautiful country": It's simple. No electricity in my game means no work. No work = no money to pay staff. Result - staff go home. Less turnover means less profits. This means salary cuts and jobs losses.

The ANC ruled South Africa has failed its people. This government continues to drive people out of this country. Unemployment will now skyrocket - with this follows crime as people are desperate and hungry. This is not about black or white. We beg for capable people to run our country.

28 Jan 2015

From Fin24 user Karabo Mothoa: I run a small pie bakery and we deliver freshly baked pies to schools, daily. We deliver just before school breaks, while they are still warm and fresh. Load shedding really affects our performance as a business. If it continues, it means we would have to change our strategy and that may be costly.

Let us know how load shedding affects you?

28 Jan 2015

From Fin24 user Precious Matsie: I run a tuck shop and I fry most of my stuff so it goes to waste when there is no power.


28 Jan 2015

While interest in load shedding has spiked and dipped over time in South Africa, interest in Eskom has been consistent, a Google Trends graph indicates.

28 Jan 2015

A small business owner? Let us know how load shedding is affecting your business.
Share your stories and send pics

28 Jan 2015

Fin24 user Vimeshan Pillay on Eskom's plea for help.

Switch these off please!

<p>Fin24 user Vimeshan Pillay on Eskom's plea for help.</p><p>Switch these off please!</p><p></p>

28 Jan 2015

The rand has remained on the back foot against the dollar after weakening to one-week lows overnight, as investors fretted about the impact of the electricity shortage.
The rand has remained on the back foot against the dollar after 
weakening to one-week lows overnight, as investors fretted about the 
impact of the electricity shortage.
FULL STORY

28 Jan 2015

Did you know Eskom generates, transmits and distributes approximately 95% of the electricity used in South Africa & approximately 45% of the electricity used in Africa?

28 Jan 2015

Alec Hogg: As Eskom accelerates its load shedding programme, better resourced citizens are becoming self-sufficient. The initial load shedding burst was met by candles. Now that the nation believes blackouts are a part of our future, those with the means are switching on their own irritatingly loud, diesel belching power suppliers. Which raises the next obvious question - what about the noise pollution laws?

28 Jan 2015

From the pen (or is it keyboard?) of Alec Hogg: I'm writing from my hotel room in Durban where the first leg of the post-Davos presentations is over. I love The Durban Hilton, mostly because it's so quiet. Except this time the normal peace is broken by the thumping of an electricity generator. Earlier my wife told it me it sounds like our suburb (Houghton in Johannesburg) is about to lift off. Two of the neighbours had been running their generators for a couple hours.   

Welcome to a new, noisy South Africa.

Follow Alec on Twitter

28 Jan 2015

Eskom has funds to pay for diesel to run its turbines until the end of March, averting a crisis that could have seen it lose 5% of its capacity, a government source has told Reuters.

28 Jan 2015

Commercial customers, particularly shopping centres and office blocks, could make the biggest difference by switching off non-essential lights and not leaving equipment such as photocopiers and computers in standby mode after hours, says Eskom.

28 Jan 2015

Eskom has also asked workers to switch off the lights, with the exception of security lighting when they leave office buildings at night and to ensure that air conditioners are switched off over night.

28 Jan 2015

Eskom needs everyone's help!

Eskom has again called on consumers to switch off geysers, air conditioners, pool pumps and all non-essential appliances throughout the day to reduce electricity demand.

How are you helping? Send us pics

28 Jan 2015

Eskom: Implementing lower stages of load shedding throughout the week helps us prevent severe load shedding later in the week.

28 Jan 2015

Eskom moved to stage 2 load shedding during the day on Tuesday in order to manage reserves at its pumped storage schemes and gas turbines so that it can better manage supply for the rest of the week.
Power cuts to bolster supply – Eskom CEO

28 Jan 2015

Eskom statement: The power system remains vulnerable, meaning that any extra load or faults in the system may necessitate load shedding.

28 Jan 2015

Stage 1 load shedding is now under way.
Stage 1 load shedding is now under way.<br />

28 Jan 2015

Fin24 user Steven Le Roux wrote in response to neighbourhood watch Whatsapp groups: "We have a Facebook group called Mossel Bay Load Shedding Dilemma and use it to keep the residents of Mossel Bay updated on the electricity supply status. We have almost 600 members now and the group is growing steadily. Whatsapp is a little restrictive when it comes to setting up groups of more than 500 members so therefore the Facebook group. Our members seem to be very happy with the the service plus, it helps them plan for power outages."
Mossel Bay Load Shedding Dilemma

28 Jan 2015

The predicted demand vs capacity that Eskom shared with media on Monday.
The predicted demand vs capacity that Eskom shared with media on Monday.<br />

28 Jan 2015

Fin24 user Richard Baak wrote that his schedule in Boksburg was incorrect.

"According to the schedule from the Ekurhuleni website we were supposed to have load shedding from 15:00 to 18:00 (B3 Area) yesterday, however it actually started at 20:00 and ended 22:15. We cannot do any planning around this as we have no idea when the load shedding will actually occur."

Fin24 tried to contact the Boksburg customer care centre (incorrectly written has "Boksburg care centre centre" on the site). Once through to the electricity line, a recorded message says there is a technical fault with the line and that it is in the process of being fixed.

Any officials from Boksburg can contact Fin24 at editor@fin24.com so we can help them communicate with their community.

28 Jan 2015

Fin24 user Alison Deary wrote: "Our patrol group all climbed on board tonight and we flooded the area with brightly lit car headlights. We will be doing that every load shedding evening to make sure we keep the criminals out."She wrote this in response to Fin24's story below.
Joburg estate hit by load shedding robbers

28 Jan 2015

28 Jan 2015

Acting chief executive of Eskom Dan Marokane said in a statement: “As previously indicated during our quarterly state of the system briefing on 15 January, the grid will be under pressure for the current week resulting in a high risk of load shedding.”
Power supply tight for rest of summer

28 Jan 2015

See this list of all municipalities, their contact numbers and relevant websites for load shedding schedules.
Click here

28 Jan 2015

Stage one allows for up to 1 000 MW of the national load to be cut, stage two for up to 2 000 MW, and stage three for up to 4 000 MW.

28 Jan 2015

Earlier on Wednesday, Eskom announced that South Africa was on power alert.
Full story

28 Jan 2015

eThekwini (Durban) schedule

28 Jan 2015

Ekurhuleni Metro schedule

28 Jan 2015

JHB: City Power schedule
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
18.99
-0.2%
Rand - Pound
24.10
+0.0%
Rand - Euro
20.60
-0.0%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.37
+0.4%
Rand - Yen
0.13
+0.6%
Platinum
902.70
+0.0%
Palladium
1,006.61
+0.0%
Gold
2,155.31
-0.2%
Silver
24.95
-0.4%
Brent Crude
86.89
+1.8%
Top 40
65,506
-1.1%
All Share
71,738
-1.0%
Resource 10
52,809
-1.0%
Industrial 25
99,128
-1.3%
Financial 15
16,499
-0.7%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders