Eskom has announced the implementation of varying stages of load shedding for the weekend.
In a statement issued on Friday, Eskom said load shedding would vary between stages 2 and 4, with an update to be issued on Monday.
“Stage 4 load shedding is currently being implemented until 5am on Saturday morning, thereafter load shedding will be reduced to stage 3. Stage 4 nightly load shedding will be implemented at 4pm to 5am during Saturday and Sunday, while stage 2 load shedding will be implemented at 5am to 4pm on Sunday,” said Eskom’s Sikonathi Mantshantsha.
He explained that a further update will be published on Sunday afternoon, or as soon as any significant changes occur.
“Since Thursday a generating unit each at Camden, Duvha and Tutuka power stations have returned to service while the return of a generating unit at Matla power station has been delayed. A generating unit each at Duvha, Grootvlei and three units at Kriel power stations have suffered breakdowns. Planned maintenance to 6 482 megawatt while breakdowns currently amount to 15 848MW of generating capacity,” he said.
In 2023, SA has had more than 600 hours of national load shedding.
In Durban, the DA is calling for officials tasked with managing power and water outages in Phoenix, Durban, to be fired.
“As many South Africans are faced with the brunt of load shedding, communities in the Phoenix area have also had to deal with outages due to collapsing infrastructure. In some instances, suffering water and electricity outages lasting for days at a time,” said DA KZN leader Francois Rodgers.
DA officials are expected to march to the electricity and water depots on Saturday to hand over a memorandum of grievances and proposed solutions to tackle the crisis.
IOL