Eskom has announced that due to continued pressure on the national grid, the power utility will implement Stage 4 load shedding from 1pm until 10pm on Monday.
"Since this morning, we have unexpectedly lost six additional generating units which have put additional strain on the system," said Eskom in a statement.
Load-shedding stages depend on the extent of the shortage of generation capacity to meet the country’s electricity demand, with stage 1 being the least serious, and stage 4 being the most serious. Stage 4 calls for 4000MW to be rotationally load shed nationwide.
Outages generally last for about 2,5 hours. Due to technical issues there can be minor changes in the load-shedding area boundaries from time to time.
With the resumption of Eskom’s load-shedding across South Africa, the city encourages its residents to plan ahead and to follow a few simple tips to ensure that they stay connected, healthy and safe.
- Communication:
Ensure that your cell phone, laptop, tablet and radio are always fully charged when power is available. This will allow you to be able to communicate with friends and family during load-shedding
- Transport:
Make sure that your vehicle always has fuel in the tank as most petrol stations are unable to pump fuel during power outages
- Cash:
Keep some cash on you as ATMs cannot operate without electricity
- Security and safety:
Backup batteries for electrically operated gates, garage doors and security systems should be kept in a good working condition and be able to last through periods of load-shedding. Store temporary lighting such as battery-powered torches, gas lamps and candles in places where they will be easy to find in the dark
- Eating:
If you do not have a gas stove, prepare meals before the power is scheduled to be switched off. Boil water in your kettle and keep it in thermos flasks for hot drinks. You can also use an insulating cover on teapots, pots and pans to keep drinks and meals warm
- Medication:
Most medication requiring refrigeration can be kept in a closed fridge for several hours without spoiling, but you should check with your doctor or pharmacist if in doubt
- Traffic lights
: intersections with traffic lights that are not working because of load-shedding should be treated as four-way-stops. The motorists who stops first may proceed first if the way is clear and safe to do so. Please stay calm and follow defensive driving techniques
Find your area and corresponding number on the map below:
- Refer to the schedule for the load-shedding stage announced; dates indicated along the top (left to right), with the corresponding affected areas for that day and time slots (from top to bottom).
- Areas 1-16 follow the City of Cape Town load-shedding schedule.
- Areas 17-23 use the table below to find your area on the Eskom load-shedding website and schedules.
- 17 - Macassar
- 18 - Sir Lowry's Pass
- 19 - Gordon's Bay
- 20 - Delft
- 21 - Philippi
- 22 - Nyanga
- 23 - Mfuleni
- Nomzamo - Nomzamo