Johannesburg - Load shedding continued throughout Sunday night, shifting from Stage 4 to Stage 2 from 11 pm until 9 am on Monday morning and then moving back to Stage 4, state-owned power utility Eskom said.
Stage 4 load shedding would be implemented from 9am to 11pm on Monday. On Tuesday, "up to Stage 4 load shedding will be implemented. This is due to a shortage of capacity", Eskom said in a statement on Sunday night.
"We remind customers that load shedding at Stage 4 is no cause for alarm as the system is being effectively controlled. Load shedding is a highly controlled process, implemented to protect the system and to prevent a total collapse of the system or a national blackout. During Stage 4 load shedding, approximately 80 percent of the country’s demand is still being met."
Eskom’s maintenance teams were working round the clock to return generation units to the electricity system. Eskom appealed to customers to switch off geysers during the day as well as all non-essential lighting and electricity appliances to assist in reducing demand. All electrical points should be treated as live during load shedding.
Customers were advised to keep checking their load shedding schedules on the Eskom and their municipal website. For Eskom customers, these schedules were available on the Eskom website (http://loadshedding.eskom.co.za). Eskom customers could also contact the customer contact centre at 0860-037-566. "We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience during this difficult period," Eskom said.