RALLYING around the flickering of candle light has become a regular occurrence for South Africans in recent weeks, as the country’s ongoing electricity crisis was escalated to phase three last week. The recent spate of power cuts has been the worst in the country since the 2008 crisis.

Even the contradicting reports surrounding the issue have left the public in the dark. Earlier this week Eskom’s CEO,  Tshediso Matona, warned that, while there was no crisis, load shedding was a foreseeable reality for the South African future. According to Matona, load shedding was a permanent issue and would be implemented for the next few months until the extremely constrained system had been stabilised.

But, today, Andrew Etzinger, the national power utility’s spokesman, was optimistic about the state of the grid and said that there was no “risk of load shedding” for the rest of December.

Councillor Heinz de Boer, however, urged residents to prepare for load shedding. “There has been terrible planning at a national level, to the point where Eskom has been providing incorrect load shedding schedules. They would have us believe that it is not a crisis, but it is,” he said.

According to de Boer, the power outages were more than just an inconvenience – they also posed a danger to the safety of the public. “Opportunistic criminals will be targeting homes and businesses during these times. I urge residents to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity,” he added.

Local authorities have, however, insisted that there have been no increase in crime in the area since load shedding had been implemented. Hayden Searles,  chairman of the Durban North and Umhlanga CPF, echoed de Boer’s statement, saying, “Darkness is a criminal’s best friend. Back in 2008 we needed to increase the neighbourhood watch patrols. Residents need to be prepared and they need to take precautions,” he said.

He urged residents to ensure that their alarm batteries are holding charge, they know how to disengage an electric motor (so that they aren’t stuck inside or outside of their properties) and that they have alternative solar powered lighting. He also warned residents to keep a high powered torch handy and that their cellphones are charged.

Similarly councillor Shaun Ryley also encouraged residents to stay home during load shedding times. “People have a mind set to go out, whether to eat out, visit a shopping centre or buy food, but this makes them vulnerable. Their home might be targeted while they are away or they might be targeted as they exit or enter their homes