- Eskom announced load reduction would be implemented Mpumalanga Province on Sunday and in KwaZulu Natal on Monday.
- This load reduction in KwaZulu Natal will take place between 05:00 and 07:00 in the morning as well as 17:00 and 19:00 in the evening, the statement said.
- The statement advised customers in these and surrounding areas to switch off all electrical appliances to avoid power surges when power returns.
On Sunday, Eskom released two different statements announcing load reduction in Ehlanzeni District of Mpumalanga Province and that load reduction would be implemented in KwaZulu Natal on Monday.
“To avoid network overloading and high-density areas that are greatly affected by illegal connections, meter bypasses and vandalism of electricity infrastructure, Eskom will commence to implement a load reduction process in the afternoon,” the first statement said on load reduction in Ehlanzeni.
The statement said areas to be affected included Middelplaas, Thualamahashe, Buffelshoek, Tekamahala and Gutshwa. The statement advised customers in these and surrounding areas to switch off all electrical appliances to avoid power surges when power returns.
In the second of these statements, Eskom said it was battling to keep up with increased equipment failure that is consting millions to repair.
“Overloading of networks leads to damage to the electricity infrastructure through explosions in overloaded transformers and mini-substations. It also poses danger to people and property in the affected communities,” the statement said.
- READ | Eskom to implement load reduction on Saturday afternoon
The statement said Monday’s load reduction in KwaZulu Natal would affect areas in Pietermartizburg, Newcastle, North Coast, Ladysmith, the Durban area and Maphumulo.
This load reduction will take place between 05:00 and 07:00 in the morning as well as 17:00 and 19:00 in the evening, the statement said.