Written By: Faith Jemosop
South Africans are once again facing the harsh realities of electricity rationing. Eskom, the country’s embattled power utility, has announced the implementation of Stage 2 load shedding during the evening peak from 16:00 to 22:00 daily, starting May 13 until Thursday, May 15, 2025. While these power cuts are nothing new, they serve as a stark reminder that the nation’s energy crisis remains far from resolved.
But what exactly is behind this latest round of loadshedding? Why Stage 2, and why now? What are the broader economic and societal implications? And most importantly what needs to change to keep the lights on in the long term?
Understanding Load Shedding: What is Stage 2?
Load Shedding is the intentional, temporary interruption of electricity supply to prevent the total collapse of the power grid. It is implemented in “stages,” with Stage 2 indicating a shortage of up to 2000 MW of power. During this level, Eskom sheds electricity in a controlled manner by cutting supply to specific areas for up to 2.5 hours at a time, multiple times per day.
While less severe than higher stages, Stage 2 is still disruptive to businesses, public services, and households. It usually signals that Eskom’s generation reserves are dangerously low.
Why is Loadshedding Being Implemented Now?
Eskom cited “limited generation capacity” as the primary reason for this new wave of load shedding. But that phrase conceals a deeper, chronic problem involving mismanagement, ageing infrastructure, and systemic underinvestment.
1. Ailing Infrastructure
Most of Eskom’s coal-fired power plants are over 40 years old and prone to breakdowns. According to the utility’s most recent system status report, unplanned breakdowns exceeded 17,000 MW, nearly half of total available capacity. Scheduled maintenance has further removed over 4,000 MW from the grid.
2. Lack of New Reliable Capacity
Despite efforts to bring new capacity online through Medupi and Kusile power stations, both megaprojects have been plagued by design flaws, delays, and corruption scandals. While some units are operational, others are still undergoing repairs or recommissioning.
3. Evening Peak Pressure
The loadshedding is specifically timed during the evening peak hours (16:00–22:00), when demand surges as households return home, businesses wrap up operations, and heating, lighting, and cooking appliances are heavily used. The grid becomes stretched thin during this time.
The Human and Economic Cost
Loadshedding is more than just an inconvenience. It has significant economic, social, and psychological costs for a country already grappling with high unemployment and slow economic recovery.
• Economic Losses
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) estimates that South Africa lost R650 million ($35 million) per day during Stage 2 load shedding in 2024. Interruptions to manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, and small businesses reduce productivity and increase operating costs.
• Impact on Healthcare and Education
Hospitals, clinics, and schools struggle to maintain critical services during outages. While some have backup generators, not all do. In poorer communities, clinics may have to close early or operate in darkness.
Also read: What Is Load Shedding and How Does It Affect the Economy?
Online education, already crucial in rural and township areas, is disrupting student learning and widening the education gap.
• Household Inconvenience and Risk
Frequent blackouts mean spoiled food, damaged electronics, safety risks due to lack of lighting, and heightened crime. Gender-based violence has reportedly spiked during dark evenings in some informal settlements.
Public and Political Reactions
• Public Frustration and Fatigue
Many South Africans have expressed outrage on social media, voicing frustration with Eskom’s repeated failures and the government’s perceived lack of urgency. The hashtag #LoadsheddingMustFall has been trending for weeks.
• Government Response
Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa acknowledged the load shedding but stressed that measures are being taken to stabilize the grid. However, critics say these assurances have become routine and hollow.
The opposition party Democratic Alliance (DA) called for privatization of Eskom and faster rollout of independent power producers (IPPs) to diversify energy supply.
Eskom’s Short-Term Fixes and Long-Term Challenges
• Emergency Reserves and Diesel Use
To avoid higher stages of load shedding, Eskom has been burning millions of liters of diesel to run its open-cycle gas turbines (OCGTs). These plants are expensive and intended for emergency use only. As of early May, Eskom had already used up over R3 billion in diesel for 2025, an unsustainable tactic.
• Accelerated Maintenance
Eskom says it is prioritizing maintenance of key units and hopes to return over 3,000 MW to the grid by the end of May. However, without a long-term overhaul of infrastructure and management culture, these efforts may only offer temporary relief.
What Needs to Change: Structural Energy Reform
1. Liberalizing the Energy Market
Allowing more private sector participation is critical. The unbundling of Eskom into separate entities for generation, transmission, and distribution must be accelerated to encourage competition and transparency.
2. Investment in Renewables
South Africa has abundant solar and wind resources, yet only a fraction has been tapped. The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) has stalled due to red tape and procurement delays.
Speeding up approvals and grid integration for solar and wind projects can reduce dependence on coal and improve supply diversity.
3. Energy Storage and Smart Grids
To manage intermittent renewables, Eskom and municipalities must invest in battery storage and smart grid technology. Countries like Kenya and Morocco are leading in this area and provide models South Africa could emulate.
4. Addressing Corruption and Mismanagement
Many of Eskom’s woes stem from state capture, poor leadership, and internal corruption. Implementing clean governance, transparency in procurement, and skilled management are as crucial as technical fixes.
