Picture: for illustration purposes
South Africa's momentary feel-good atmosphere, due to the victory of the Springboks over the All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup final, suffered a blow as the specter of load shedding made a reappearance. Eskom, the national power company, confirmed the return of rolling blackouts from Sunday afternoon, ending their nine-day hiatus.
Load shedding was suspended until 4 p.m. Sunday—a timeline fortified by official confirmation. According to Eskom, Stage 2 load shedding will be implemented from 4 p.m. Sunday until 4 p.m. Monday, subsequently alternating between Stages 2 and 3 until further notice.
Eskom necessitates these power cuts to replenish emergency reserves, ostensibly in preparation for the forecasted cold weather, which it anticipates will surge the demand for electricity in the coming days. The power company stated it will stringently monitor the power system and update changes to load shedding if needed.
In a poignant speech post the match, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi highlighted the tribulations many South Africans face, including the endemic power crisis. Expressing his gratitude, Kolisi underlined how his team's fight on and off the field echoed the South African spirit of hope, resilience, and unity.
Unfortunately, the cessation of load shedding was proceeded by water shortages, leaving considerable parts of Johannesburg arid over the weekend. As taps ran dry, Joburg Water admitted some of their systems were grappling with capacity, while their reservoirs depleted.