Load shedding update: Stage 3 here to stay ‘indefinitely’…

In a late-night announcement on Wednesday evening, Eskom shared the bleak news that load shedding will be kept at stage 3 “indefinitely” in order to replenish emergency reserves amid inadequate generation capacity.

“Due to the need to replenish emergency reserves and insufficient available generation capacity, stage 3 will continue to be implemented until further notice,” Eskom said in its brief statement shared on X.

Load shedding to stay at stage 3

The embattled power utility added that it would closely monitor the power system and communicate should any significant changes occur.

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Eskom ‘ramps it up’

On Sunday, Eskom announced that stage 2 would continue until further notice due to the need to “replenish and stabilise the emergency reserves” in preparation for the weekday electricity demand.

On Monday, however, load shedding was summarily ramped it up to stage 3 due to a delay in the restart of two generating units.

ALSO READ: New Eskom CEO to start in March

Load shedding schedules for SA metros

The schedules of major metros are available here:

• City of Johannesburg
• City of Ekurhuleni 
• City of Tshwane 
• City of Cape Town (PDF)
• Nelson Mandela Bay
• eThekwini
• Manguang
• Buffalo City

For access to other load shedding schedules, Eskom has made them available on loadshedding.eskom.co.za.

New Eskom CEO appointed

In December last year, Dan Marokane was appointed as Eskom’s new group chief executive. The qualified chemical engineer who also boasts an MBA will officially report for duty on 1 March.

His appointment comes months after the resignation of former CEO André de Ruyter. 

“He has experience working in distressed organisations with visible and pressurised turnaround mandates. His recent assignment is at Tongaat-Hulett where he stepped up to lead this financially distressed business when its chief executive officer resigned,” Eskom said in its statement announcing Marokane’s appointment.

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