Electricity Expert Predictions: Will South Africa Face Stage 5 Loadshedding?
- After numerous unscheduled power outages, many South Africans believed that loadshedding had unofficially returned
- Their fears coincided with a warning from energy experts who predicted a high probability of electricity outages in winter
- One expert said the scheduled power outages could escalate to stage 5 over the next three months
Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered current affairs on the radio for over 15 years.
Source: Getty Images
Many South Africans believed loadshedding had returned, even though Eskom had not made an official announcement.
Energy experts predict return loadshedding in winter
The citizens’ conspiracies coincided with warnings from energy experts who predicted a high probability of loadshedding in the winter months.
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According to the parastatal’s board chairperson, Mteto Nyati (@mteton), the country was loadshedding free for about 70 days. The utility credited improved performance and reliability to its Generation Operational Recovery Plan, which began in March 2023.
According to Business Tech, Professor Sampson Mamphweli of the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) believed that loadshedding could escalate to stage 5 during winter. Mamphweli added that the rise in solar power allowed Eskom to build up its reserves. Professor Hartmut Winkler of the University of Johannesburg agreed with Mamphweli; however, he expected the stages to alternate between one and three.
South Africans on electricity outages
Many netizens believed that the recent unscheduled power outages were, in fact, loadshedding.
@laschmaada said:
“Mtlakase [electricity] gone...three days in a row at exactly 18h00. #loadshedding is back.”
@ty_zolile_ added:
“They're just scared to come clean that Loadshedding is back. They were just waiting for elections to be over.”
@NomsaTshwane advised:
“Just say elections are over, and loadshedding is coming back.”
@UmZulu_kaMswazi commented:
“Guys, loadshedding is back, but @Eskom_SA has not updated the schedule.”
@madamaunt added:
“It seems loadshedding is back disguised as unexplained blackouts.”
Eskom is far from maintaining a steady power supply:
Briefly News reported that an independent economic and energy analyst said the stable power supply over March/April 2024 was due to an exodus of electricity users from the Eskom grid.
Tshepo Kgadima said despite the eased pressure on the grid, the power utility had a long way to go before maintaining a steady electricity supply.
Netizens were suspicious of the stable power supply and anticipated higher levels of loadshedding after the 2024 General Election.
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Source: Briefly News
