The latest province to exit the programme is Mpumalanga, joining the Western Cape, Northern Cape, Free State and North West.
Eskom has reached a major milestone in its Load Reduction Eradication Programme. Picture: Gallo Images
Eskom has reached a major milestone in its Load Reduction Eradication Programme, removing more than 1 million customers from schedules and declaring five provinces load-reduction-free.
The utility confirmed that 1 104 225 customers have been freed from cutbacks, representing 65.17% progress towards its national target.
Load reduction
The programme, originally introduced to protect overloaded local networks, has now eliminated 545 feeders through national load reduction.
The Western Cape, Northern Cape, Free State, North West and Mpumalanga are all free of the measure, leaving Gauteng and KwaZulu‑Natal (KZN) as the main provinces still affected.
Milestone
Eskom said this achievement keeps it on track to eliminate load reduction in seven provinces by October 2026, with full national eradication targeted by March 2027.
“This milestone demonstrates that the programme is delivering tangible results,” said Junaid Munshi, Eskom Group Executive for Distribution.
“The elimination of load reduction forms part of Eskom’s broader commitment to transforming electricity service delivery across South Africa.”
Load shedding
The utility stressed that load reduction is distinct from load shedding. South Africa’s power system has remained stable for more than 413 consecutive days without load shedding, thanks to Eskom’s Generation Recovery Plan.
“Load reduction, by contrast, was a temporary measure to protect infrastructure in areas plagued by illegal connections, electricity theft, meter tampering and demand exceeding network capacity.”
Targeted investment
Eskom said that, through targeted investment in distribution infrastructure, the rollout of smart meters, the integration of distributed energy resources, the expansion of Free Basic Electricity support, revenue protection initiatives, and collaboration with municipalities, it is progressively addressing these root causes.
“While significant progress has been made, we recognise that some communities continue to experience the impact of load reduction,” Munshi noted.
“The remaining areas, particularly in Gauteng and KwaZulu‑Natal, require sustained investment, advanced technologies and ongoing collaboration with communities and stakeholders.”
Partnership
Eskom emphasised that community partnership is critical to success.
“Illegal connections, electricity theft, meter tampering and vandalism continue to place significant pressure on local networks,” the utility said.
Customers are urged to report illegal connections and infrastructure damage to the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 112 722 or via WhatsApp at 081 333 3323.
Modernisation
By tackling energy losses and modernising the grid, Eskom said it is building a more resilient and secure electricity network.
“We remain committed to delivering a safe, reliable and sustainable electricity supply while ensuring that the benefits of improved performance are progressively experienced by households, schools, clinics, businesses and communities across South Africa,” Munshi said.
