Eskom Cannot Rule Out Possibility Of Stage 8 Loadshedding After SA Plunged Into Stage 4 and Stage 6 Blackouts

• SA ailing power utility Eskom has confirmed that Stage 8 loadshedding may be back on the cards this weekend
• Eskom announced that the country would alternate between Stages 4 and 6 until further notice due to unexpected breakdowns
• South Africans are enraged by and disappointed in the unpredictability of the country's electricity crises

JOHANNESBURG - After enjoying relatively low stages of loadshedding, South Africans were plunged into Stage 4 and Stage 6 rolling blackouts on Wednesday, 12 July.

SA's embattled power utility Eskom released a statement informing the public that loadsheding would alternate between Stage 4 in the morning and Stage 6 from 2pm to 5am until further notice.

While citizens are still coming to terms with the sudden increase in power cuts, SA's embattled power utility, Eskom, confirmed that Stage 8 loadshedding might be back on the table.

Read also

More trucks set on fire in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, sparking calls for police escort from industry role players

While it is still only "a possibility", Eskom said that the rolling blackouts may reach the highest stage yet because the power utility could not refill its emergency reserves, The Mail & Guardian reported.

This comes after much of South Africa was engulfed in a cold front over the weekend and for much of the week.

According to Eskom interim spokesperson Daphne Mokwena, the power utility usually replenished its reserves over weekends when electricity demand was down. However, the cold snap made it impossible to do so this past weekend.

The Mokwena said:

“Should a cold spell coincide with multiple generator breakdowns, high stages of load-shedding may be necessary for a short duration.”

South Africans angered by increased stages of loadshedding

Below are some comments:

Read also

Snow in SA: Woman wrapped with blanket celebrates being unemployed during cold front in hilarious video

@LuteMaq said:

"Back to regular programming."

@AndrewH38127750 claimed

"You're being gaslit, South Africa. The ANC never fixed Eskom, they ran the power stations too hard, and the inevitable breakdowns rolled in."

@Mr_Khambule178 speculated:

"Powers that be will keep manufacturing "crisis" after "crisis" until Eskom is in private hands."

@marielouise_82 said:

"A little snow is all it took for Eskom to crumble."

@Kat_Grace advised:

"Oh no, surely not when it’s soo cold!!! Keep warm, peeps!! Base layers and lots of woollies!"

Loadshedding slows down as Eskom energy availability increases over 50%, electricity Minister assured SA

Earlier, Briefly News reported that Eskom's unstable Energy supply often has South Africans on edge. The president appointed Kgosientsho Ramokgopa to solve the issues at Eskom as the Electricity Minister.

South Africans were wary of Kgosientsho Ramokgopa's appointment in the beginning. Now the minister gave South Africans a bit of good news.

Read also

Ekurhuleni electricity technician fighting for life after being shot while attending to power outage

According to SABC News, the Electricity Minister had a chance to speak at ANC's National Executive Committee meeting. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said that Eskom has an energy availability increase of 60%. This means that, for the time being, there will be fewer power cuts in the country.

Source: Briefly News