Eskom ramps up load shedding as crisis deepens

The crisis at Eskom is getting worse, with the state-owned utility set to implement stage-6 power cuts until midnight on Friday as illegal industrial action and intimidation continue.

Stage-6 load shedding will now be implemented from 2pm on Thursday and will again be implemented from 5am to midnight on Friday. Overnight on Friday morning — between midnight and 5am, stage-4 power cuts will be imposed.

This week’s load shedding is the worst in Eskom’s history and comes as unlawful strike action by workers at the utility continue to hold the utility — and South Africa — to ransom over a wage dispute.

The power cuts will continue all weekend at stage 4, Eskom said.

The crisis has sent the rand spiralling lower against major international currencies as investors fret that the severe power cuts could push the South African economy into recession.

“The high levels of staff absenteeism and intimidation of working employees in some of the power stations is still rife,” Eskom said in a statement. “This has made it difficult to conduct routine maintenance and other operational requirements, which will further impact the reliability of generating units.

“Due to the unlawful and unprotected strike, which has caused widespread disruption to Eskom’s power plants, Eskom is still unable to return some generators to service. Eskom is compelled to take this unprecedented step to conserve emergency generation capacity to safeguard the power system.”

The utility slammed union members involved the illegal strike action and said they have a “legal and moral obligation to return to work in order to safeguard South Africa from further load shedding”.  — (c) 2022 NewsCentral Media