Eskom load shedding stage six: New laws signal first minute win

Stage 6

The country is paddling past an exhausting stage 6 load shedding schedule where some areas are left without power for up to six hours.

Eskom ramped up the level in power cuts this weekend, confirming that power cuts will kick in at 4 pm on Sunday afternoon.

Delays in returning certain power units back to operational capacity appears to be the current recurring note the power utility seems to be singing.

While Eskom’s spokesperson Daphne Mokwena confirmed how everyone was working around the clock, which seemed unlikely – generating units Majuba, Medupi, including Tutuka have been taken out of service.

Current electrical capacity is severely under constraint, as Eskom manages consistent delays in consistent power.

Good news

On Friday the Pretoria High Court ordered government to ensure that public hospitals, clinics, schools and police stations were exempt from recurring power cuts.

A bench of judges has ordered Public Enterprises Minister 60 days to make it happen.

Power cuts on clinics, schools and police stations could be a thing of the past as legislation takes a relook backed by party leaders.

Human rights is the issue tabled by civil organizations in arguing that certain public facilities should remain with power during any stage of load shedding.

How it will work

Public offices are provided with the option to use alternative energy to ensure the lights stay on.

The call for no load shedding for public offices comes as around 93 hospitals, over 20 000 schools, including 85 police stations battle to service communities during any stage of power cuts from Eskom.

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