Country’s CEOs and analysts fume as Eskom implements stage 6 load shedding

A photograph made available on June 8, 2015, showing an Eskom coal fired power station as the sun rises near Johannesburg. Picture: EPA, KIM LUDBROOK.

A photograph made available on June 8, 2015, showing an Eskom coal fired power station as the sun rises near Johannesburg. Picture: EPA, KIM LUDBROOK.

Published Jun 28, 2022

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South Africans are calling for heads to roll following Eskom’s emergency media briefing on Tuesday morning.

The country’s embattled power utility moved load shedding to stage 6, for the second time since the rolling blackouts were implemented.

Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter said at the briefing that Eskom would probably be forced to implement Stage 6 load shedding because unlawful and unprotected labour action at a number of power stations had caused delays in carrying out planned maintenance and repairs.

In essence, Stage 6 load shedding means that South Africans could experience up to 10 hours of power cuts in a day.

Following this announcement, some of the country’s top CEOs and analysts took to Twitter to further criticise Eskom, as well as the government.

Mike Abel, CEO of advertising agency M&C Saatchi Abel, said in a tweet, “There is a hard and direct line between power supply and employment. Anyone who thinks it’s a dotted line is seriously mistaken. Power supply = job stability and growth. Poor or unreliable power supply = increased unemployment. The end.”

Take a look at how others reacted to Eskom’s announcement below:

— Mark Barnes (@mark_barnes56) June 28, 2022
— Kgomotso Moeketsi (@KGMoeketsi) June 28, 2022

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