Residents are steamed-up over the Msukaligwa Municipality’s decision to implement load reductions in Ermelo.

In the not-so-distant-past, the Highvelder reported on the situation in Breyten where municipal loadshedding was implemented due to a constrained and overloaded grid.

The spokesman for the Msukaligwa Municipality, Mr Mandla Zwane, shortly afterwards warned that other towns might follow suit should the demand increase.

“With winter creeping in, it is alarming of what we might be faced with, the situation is also exacerbated by the number of illegal connections,” he stated at the time.

About two weeks after this caution, the municipality began implementing “load reductions” to the utter annoyance of the community of Ermelo and surrounds.

Questions were raised whether regardless of the load/demand, the municipality was utilizing the same blueprint implemented by Eskom in Gauteng’s residential areas, to limit equipment failure and/or damages, to reap the same benefits.

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This might include curbing their financial losses as a result of illegal activities such as bridging of electricity, that causes overloading.

What most residents are complaining about is that only some areas have to bear the brunt of load reductions and on top of that that some households already experience unplanned outages.

Amid these load reductions, residents were also informed of proposed increased tariffs.

All electricity services suggested increases of 8.1% – subject to Eskom increases approved by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa.

The Highvelder sent questions to Mr Zwane to clarify some questions people might have about load reductions.

He could, however, not comment at the time of publishing the article, but a follow-up article will be published as soon as his comments are obtained.