According to Eskom, load reduction differs from load shedding in that it targets specific high-usage areas to protect infrastructure from overloading.
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Load reduction will affect parts of Soweto, Tsakane, Etwatwa, Orange Farm, and surrounding areas for the rest of July, according to Eskom.
Eskom outlines daily blocks for 27 to 31 July
Eskom published its load reduction timetable for Gauteng covering the final five days of July 2026, setting out which areas would be switched off each morning and evening.
According to Eskom, load reduction differs from load shedding in that it targets specific high-usage areas to protect infrastructure from overloading, rather than being applied nationally to manage generation shortfalls.
The schedule shows that outages would run in two daily windows, one in the morning between 5am and 9am, and another in the evening between 5pm and 10pm.
Monday and Tuesday outages hit Soweto and Tsakane areas
On Monday, 27 July, Block D is scheduled for load reduction in the morning slot, affecting areas including Ekangala, Moroka, Klipspruit, Dhlamini and Kagiso, according to the Eskom schedule.
In the evening, Block C would be switched off, covering Soweto Zola, Soweto Jabulani, Dobsonville Ext 7, Naledi and Mabopane C.
The following day, Tuesday, 28 July, shifted to a single evening slot shared between two blocks.
Eskom’s schedule showed Block B losing power first, taking in Meadowlands West Zone 10, Soweto Dube, Dube Ext 1, Mofolo East and Cosmo City, followed later by Block J, which included Orange Farm, Stretford Ext 10, Sharpeville, Evaton and Sebokeng Unit 1.
The morning session on the 28th applied to Block A, listed as covering Ivory Park Ext 10, Kaalfontein Ext 1, 2 and 5, Rabie Ridge, Protea Glen and Kagiso.
Wednesday brings reversal of Monday’s schedule
Wednesday, 29 July, effectively mirrored the start of the week, with Eskom’s timetable showing Block C in the morning window and Block D in the evening, a reversal of the order used on Monday.
The morning outage for Block C again covered Soweto Zola, Soweto Jabulani, Dobsonville Ext 5 and Ext 7, Naledi and Mabopane C, while the evening cut to Block D took in Ekangala, Moroka, Klipspruit, Dhlamini and Tsakane Ext 11.
Eskom’s document did not provide reasons for the specific rotation pattern beyond the standard classification of the areas as high-usage zones subject to load reduction.
Thursday targets Etwatwa and Ga-Rankuwa areas
Thursday, 30 July, saw the outage pattern shift to Block G in the morning and Block H in the evening, according to Eskom.
Block G’s morning slot covered Tsakane Ext 11 and Ext 5, Klippan, Mabopane R Ext 1, Mabopane U Ext 1 and Ga-Rankuwa Unit 8. The evening cut to Block H affected Etwatwa Ext 15, Ext 21, Ext 24, Ext 30 and Ext 33.
These two blocks had also appeared together earlier in the month, though Eskom’s July schedule showed Block H and Block G rotating through different pairings across the days leading up to the 30th.
Friday closes the month with Blocks E and F
The final day covered in this window, Friday, 31 July, was set down for Block E in the morning and Block F in the evening, Eskom’s schedule showed.
Block E’s morning outage applied to Mapetla, Protea South, Chiawelo, Protea North and Nooitgedacht.
The evening slot for Block F covered Cuba, Graceland, Havana, Jetta and Lakeside in the Diepkloof and Vereeniging areas.
Eskom’s schedule for the rest of July confirmed that all ten blocks, labelled A through J, would rotate through the morning and evening windows across the month, with residents in the listed suburbs advised to plan around the published times.
To see if your area is affected, click on or download the document below:
