Springboks v Wallabies: Load shedding might ruin the game

Power utility Eskom has confirmed its load shedding plan for the weekend – and it could spell bad news for those wanting to watch the Springboks v Wallabies Rugby Championship Test!

VIRAL | Cheapest groceries in South Africa: Checkers v Pick n Pay v Woolworths – and more

Eskom on Thursday, confirmed that Stage 3 load shedding would be in effect between 16:00 and midnight on Saturday.

The Test at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria is scheduled to start at 17:05.

Unless you have a ticket to watch the match LIVE, best you check your load shedding schedule for your area to avoid disappointment.

ALSO READ | South Coast Tourism launches new Adventure hike

ALSO READ | Calendar: When is the next public holiday in South Africa?

#POWERALERT1

Varying stages of loadshedding will be implemented from Friday until Monday morning pic.twitter.com/S2vNIonzhy

— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) July 6, 2023

WHAT IS ESKOM?

Eskom is a South African electricity public utility. It was established in 1923 as the Electricity Supply Commission.

The utility is the largest producer of electricity in Africa and was among the top utilities in the world in terms of generation capacity and sales.

It is the largest of South Africa’s state owned enterprises.

WHICH POWER STATIONS DO ESKOM OPERATE?

Eskom operates a number of notable power stations, including Matimba Power Stations and Medupi Power Station in Lephalale, Kusile Power Station in Witbank, Kendal Power Station in Mpumalanga, and Koeberg Nuclear Power Station in the Western Cape, the only nuclear power plant in Africa.

ALSO READ | Vogue Nights Jozi celebrates 5 years with a Winter Ball!

FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN THE MAJOR METROS, LOAD SHEDDING SCHEDULES ARE AVAILABLE BELOW:

• City of Johannesburg
• City of Ekurhuleni 
• City of Tshwane 
• City of Cape Town (PDF)
• Nelson Mandela Bay
• eThekwini
• Mangaung
• Buffalo City

 SIX TIPS TO MITIGATE AGAINST RISKS CAUSED BY LOAD SHEDDING:

• Make use of surge protection: Electric surges are one of the biggest causes of damage to equipment during a power outage. Installing a surge protection device can help minimise some damage in unforeseen situations. Have a surge protection device fitted to your electrical distribution board or at the power outlet to the electronic device.
• Ensure that your alarm system is working and the backup battery is fully functional to provide power to the system in the event of load shedding.
• Spare torch or headlamp: Keep a torch in your car if you arrive home at night during a power outage. Most smartphones have built-in torch or torch apps, which come in handy during unexpected power outages.
• Emergency contact information: Save emergency contact information on your phone, but also keep a paper copy safe and accessible. This should include contacts for emergency services such as the fire department, police, and/or medical services. Also include the contact information of friends and/or family along with insurance information.
• Charge your cell phone, laptop, and tablet: Ensure your cellphone, laptop, and tablet devices are fully charged ahead of scheduled blackouts. Be sure to charge them again as soon as possible after the power returns. It’s also a good idea to have an emergency phone charger (like a power bank) close by. This comes in handy during extended power outages.
• Gas for cooking and lighting: Get a small LP gas bottle and lamp. It gives good quality lighting for a large area and can also be used for cooking and boiling water. It’s a good idea to keep hot water in a thermal flask so that you can make hot drinks. Also, consider preparing meals beforehand if you know when there’s going to be a scheduled blackout.