South Africans have had a dark year. Eskom has implemented load-shedding on well over 100 days in 2022 alone and indications are that the end is not in sight, despite the relief brought this afternoon when Eskom announced load-shedding would be suspended for the weekend, starting at 05:00 tomorrow.

The spate of breakdowns at generation units across the country is proof that the electricity supply network is under unbearable strain. The slightest bit of pressure could throw everything back to stage 6 – or even higher, Eskom has warned.

In the meantime, industries and households are on their knees because of the electricity outages. Many people are concerned about the future because they cannot afford expensive generators or other power supply systems.

However, Dr Wallace Vosloo, an independent energy expert who worked as an engineer at Eskom for more than 30 years, says it is possible to survive load-shedding without incurring huge expenses.

His practical advice, shared in a video interview with journalist Izak du Plessis, could not have come at a better time, with South Africa in the grips of its longest bout of load-shedding ever.

Ongoing Eskom challenges

According to Eskom CEO André de Ruyter, Eskom’s existing coal-fired power stations do not meet the minimum emissions standards. In March, the North Gauteng High Court gave the government 12 months to rectify the problem in hot-spot areas. Environmental Minister Barbara Creecy has since applied for leave to appeal the ruling.

However, Eskom does not have the money needed to retrofit the coal-fired power stations. In a recent interview with The Money Show host Bruce Whitfield, De Ruyter said: “… if we were forced to implement the minimum emission standards, that would require us to shut down 16 gigawatts of generation capacity; that would put us into stage 15 load-shedding.”

Surviving without Eskom

Vosloo and his wife Karen live off the grid in a wooden hut in the Knysna forest.

“As long as you can make a plan, you can survive the darkest of days,” says Vosloo.

His three top tips for surviving load-shedding:

1. Buy a cheap uninterrupted power supply (commonly called a UPS) to keep a computer or a television and a light or two running.

2. Install LED lights that work with batteries.

3. Invest in a super affordable alternative energy stove, such as a rocket stove that uses only a few sticks to create enough heat to cook.

WATCH: Energy expert and off-the-grid pioneer shares his experiences of living without Eskom, including alternative cooking methods. Learn how to make rice in a flask and cook food on your car’s engine while driving: