Mpumalanga communities still affected by load reduction
These communities include KaNyamazane, KaBokweni, Pienaar, Thulamahashe, Mahushu, various areas in Nkomazi, and many other communities in Mpumalanga.
Some communities in Mpumalanga say although load-shedding might be suspended for some, they continue to feel the pinch of load reduction.
These communities include KaNyamazane, KaBokweni, Pienaar, Thulamahashe, Mahushu, various areas in Nkomazi and many other communities in Mpumalanga.
They say for them, it feels like load-shedding is still very much active, as they continue facing similar challenges of getting home to a dark house, or having to use cold water in the morning. Some say load reduction damages their appliances and causes them financial expenses, and they continuously face losses due to their food getting spoilt.
Some business owners in those areas said it affects their profits as they struggle to sustain business operations.
KaNyamazane is among the areas that experience load reduction three to four days every week. The power goes off from 05:00 to 07:00 in the morning, and then from 17:00 to 19:00 in the evening. The local businesses then have to resume operating when the power is back on, or make use of alternative power supplies such as generators or gas.
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An employee of a fast food establishment in Lekazi, Ndumiso Mhlongo, said: “We specialise in fast food. The impact of load reduction on our business is that when there are power outages, we have to use gas. Gas is expensive. From the profit we make, we have to sacrifice and buy gas. We always make a plan to keep our customers happy, but the business is suffering deeply because of the expenses caused by power outages.”
He said additional challenges are a loss of customers due to the outlet’s inability to meet the entire demand. “During the hours we do not have electricity, we have more customers. The lack of electricity lowers the chances of meeting the demand, because gas runs slowly. We get complaints about the fried chips not being fully cooked to the standards our customers are used to. Regardless of the power outage challenges, we continue working, because we have people working here who have families to support. Closing down will affect many people,” he said.
Mhlongo added that a month ago, they had to repair the display fridge which had been damaged by the power issues. “The food we keep in the fridge was spoilt,” he added.
Another area that experiences load reduction is Mahushu Trust near Hazyview.
A resident, Palesa Madonsela, said the time slots of the reduction is a cause for concern, because criminals take the opportunity to steal power cables. “There are many times we had power outages because cables were stolen during load reduction times, and we were left in the dark for a longer time than usual,” she said.
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Another resident, Ratanang Moluane, complained about having to replace appliances and spoilt food due to the load reduction.
“Sometimes we forget to switch off the appliances during load reduction, and when the power comes back on, they run on until we notice. We are glad that load-shedding is off, but living with daily electricity cuts is not what we keep voting for in this country,” she said.
Lazarus Muthimba, Eskom’s provincial communication and stakeholder management practitioner, said load reduction is implemented in various areas across the country when there is a risk to public safety, or when it is necessary to protect Eskom’s infrastructure from damage due to overloading. “The duration of load reduction depends on the resolution of these risks.”
When asked how Eskom determines which communities experience load reduction, he said: “Eskom identifies areas where the electricity network is consistently overloaded, leading to extensive infrastructure damage. In some cases, this has resulted in dangerous explosions that threaten public safety. In these areas, load reduction is necessary to prevent further damage and ensure a more reliable power supply in the long term.”
As to whether there are future plans to change the areas experiencing load reduction, Muthimba said once overloading of the electricity network is addressed and the risk of infrastructure damage and public safety hazards are mitigated, there will be no further need for load reduction in those areas.
Muthimba added that community members who have lost their appliances due load reduction are encouraged to contact Eskom and follow the official claims process for reimbursement.
