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WATCH: ‘Eskom, our laptops are like fridges’ – student’s plea goes viral
South African students agree on one thing: Eskom doesn't understand their struggle.
Photo: TikTok/@giftbozekana1
The effects of stage 6 load shedding are felt across all of South Africa, from students to businesses, entrepreneurs and everyone in between. Frustrated netizens are turning to comedy in an attempt to get Eskom’s attention.
A TikTok user known as Gift Kelton Bozekana shared a viral clip on the streaming platform and found an accord with thousands of South Africans.
A student’s plea
Eskom, Eskom…
His message is succinct: “Eskom, Eskom, our laptops are like fridges. They only work when they are plugged in only”.
“Hayi, we’re gonna fail this year, betunana“, he concluded.
The viral video had been liked more than 61 500 times and accumulated more than 700 comments, with many residents sharing his frustration.
Watch: ‘Our laptops are like fridges’
@giftbozekana1 ♬ original sound – Gift Kelton Bozekana
Clearly, he was not alone in his struggle. One of his followers said they couldn’t finish their assignments on time, while another added:
“Our laptops are on life support.”
“Bruuh this is my only stress right now”, one follower lamented, while another said they can’t even use a battery replacement due to the built-in battery.
Many South Africans are without power between eight and ten hours a day, while some regions have been without electricity for days, if not weeks.
Stage 6 load shedding
Load shedding stage 6 was implemented on Sunday, “following the tripping of a generation unit each at Kusile and Kriel power stations”, Eskom tweeted at the time.
And if that isn’t bad enough, the ailing parastatal warned of even higher load shedding stages as the grid remains severely constrained.
Meanwhile, Eskom Chief Operating Officer Andre Oberholzer said stage 6 load shedding “will remain implemented until sufficient generation units are returned to service”.
He could not confirm when the rolling blackouts will be discontinued.
NOW READ: Eskom warns South Africans to brace for higher stages of load shedding
Eskom’s load shedding tips
The power utility reminds South Africans to keep laptops, power banks and mobile devices fully charged.
Invest in a 3G internet dongle or modem to keep connected (those lucky enough to afford it).
Eskom also said the “greatest cause of damage to equipment from a power outage is from electrical surges”.
Therefore, install a surge protection device if you can to minimise the damage, and remember to unplug computer power cables from sockets when not in use.
