Load shedding may affect businesses in Springs
With load shedding possibly upon us, some can't help but wonder how it will affect the business industry and whether or not service will be affected.
Themba Gadebe, spokesman for Ekurhuleni metro municipality (EMM), says Springs central business district will be affected by load shedding when it takes a turn in town.
“The amended EMM load shedding schedules are applicable to all consumers across the towns of Ekurhuleni,” he says.
The city’s energy department cannot predict when load shedding will be implemented in the future as load shedding is implemented when we are called upon by Eskom to do so.
This usually takes place when the national demand for electricity exceeds the available capacity.
Gadebe adds that load shedding is only implemented when national demand exceeds available capacity, to avoid a national blackout.
Fred Jones, manager of Springs Business Linkage Centre, says not only businesses will be influenced, but the entire economy.
“Businesses will definitely have an impact as shop owners who do not have access to a generator will have to close for the duration of the load shedding.”
He adds that it will be inconvenient for people in towns as it will also affect traffic.
It will also cause extensive financial loss for both big and small businesses as they lose a lot on imports and exports and the demand for stock will be higher than some would be able to produce.
Jones says households can contribute reasonably toward the electricity demand on Eskom by switching some major appliances to gas and also ‘taking it lightly’ on the geyser.
“Load shedding is here to stay and people in South Africa need to learn how to live with it,” he adds.
