SAPS Hard Hit by Load Reduction, SA Amused As Police Choose Between Fueling Vehicles or Generators

SAPS Hard Hit by Load Reduction, SA Amused As Police Choose Between Fueling Vehicles or Generators

  • SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) held an inquiry into the impact of load reduction
  • Lieutenant-General Maropeng Mamotheti admitted that police were impacted harshly as well
  • South Africans shared mixed reactions to the police's struggles with load reduction
Police are also affected by load reduction
Police recently shared how load reduction affected its crime fighting abilities. Image: AJ Paulsen
Source: Getty Images

GAUTENG - Loadshedding may be suspended, but load reduction continues to frustrate many residents.

Load reduction cuts off power to areas that have excessive usage. Eskom has maintained that it is only implemented in areas where illegal connections are rife, but some complained that it only affects poor people.

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa also blamed load reduction on municipalities that underinvested in infrastructure.

Police officers hampered by load reduction

While ordinary citizens have criticised the implementation, members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) are also affected by it.

Divisional Commissioner for Visible Policing and Operations, Lieutenant-General Maropeng Mamotheti said that load reduction limited SAPS' ability to perform their duties, adding that it also increased the chances of criminal activities in affected communities.

Read also

EFF and MK Party members refuse to stand during Die Stem at SONA, South Africans divided by actions

Mamotheti made the admission during a load reduction inquiry held by the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).

“When load reduction happens, community members are left in the dark and vulnerable to criminals who make use of the opportunity to conduct criminal activities,” she said.

Mamotheti added that they also had to make a choice when came to how to use their fuel.

“We also get affected as the fuel that we would use to put in the vehicles, we would have to redirect the supply to the generators. This also affects us cost-wise,” said Mamotheti.
Major-General Christina Sithole and Lt-General Mamothethi Maropeng
Major-General Christina Sithole and Lt-General Mamothethi Maropeng spoke about the challenges police face at the SAHRC's inquiry into load reduction. Image: @SAHRCommission
Source: Twitter

Despite Gauteng residents getting some relief over the festive season period, load reduction remains an issue for many.

South Africans annoyed and amused by the admission

Mamotheti’s comments drew mixed reactions online, as social media users showed little sympathy for the police.

Mark Dart said:

You're useless. Do crime prevention on foot.”

Read also

Kenny Kunene offers R100,000 reward to apprehend bus drivers' killers, sparks mixed reactions online

Bryan Charles Judd joked:

“Even if they had the fuel, nothing works anyway. Viva.”

Paul Hassett stated:

“Call it loadshedding. It's not something new. It's all the same mess-ups as before.”

Whitney Smith asked:

“Load reduction is because of illegal connections and cable theft. Why are you not investigating these issues?”

Phillip Phill Cool Mosiapoa stated:

“The electricity minister must be blamed.”

@Mzilikaziwam added:

“Waste of time and money. Load reduction will only stop when residents pay for electricity, even if it’s expensive.”

SA sceptical as Eskom suspends loadshedding

In a related article, Eskom announced that it has suspended the loadshedding it implemented on 31 January 2025.

Briefly News noted that loadshedding was implemented after the state-owned entity experienced unexpected breakdowns.

South Africans did not believe Eskom, with some complaining that their areas had no electricity anyway.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Byron Pillay avatar

Byron Pillay (Current Affairs Editor) Byron Pillay is a Current Affairs Editor at Briefly News. He received a Diploma in Journalism from the Caxton Cadet School. He spent 11 years covering a wide variety of news as a community journalist, including politics, crime and current affairs. He also was a Head of Department for Sports Brief, where he covered both local and international sporting news. Email: byron.pillay@briefly.co.za