How power cuts crush livelihoods: Streets of despair as load-shedding compounds lockdown hardships

Quiet streets and owner-run businesses devoid of customers. The struggle to earn a livelihood during rolling blackouts imposed across the country is evident in Saulsville, Pretoria. 

Four small business owners in three nearby streets shared their experiences with TimesLIVE on Tuesday.

Denny Ngobeni, owner of Jopa’s place on Molambo Street, said: “My stock needs to be cold. If my beers are not cold, my customers complain. It can take two hours after the electricity is back for the beers to chill. They don’t buy as they used to because of load-shedding.”

Ngobeni has six fridges powered by electricity. His generator cannot provide sufficient power, he said.

Criminals also try to take advantage during load-shedding and he feels hamstrung helping his customers.

“There are cameras usually, but now a customer will complain that criminals have stolen their phone. How will I know who took it when there is no electricity?”

Having been in the business for 10 years, Ngobeni said: “What I have realised is that load-shedding is the same as lockdown, especially for our business. If my business depends on electricity, it means I won’t operate. Then I will have to look for an alternative which I can’t find at the moment.”

In the same street, Queen Mawela, operating a business selling kotas, said her fridge no longer works because of load-shedding.

“All the equipment we are using is ruined.”

While she has arranged to cook on a paraffin stove or gas, the 63-year-old is losing income on stock.

“We are not being treated well because when electricity keeps going and coming back, our stock is spoiled. We are losing because there is no-one who wants to eat leftover bread. I am losing a lot of money.

“Since lockdown there hasn’t been much business. When there is load-shedding it becomes worse.”

Mawela said she cannot afford a generator.

“I want one but I can’t save enough money for it. It’s hard,” she said.

When TimesLIVE visited Andrew Maphosa’s salon on Mngomezulu Street, it was empty.

Electricity had come back on a few minutes before.

The 32-year-old said he cannot cut people’s hair without electricity. He has to schedule customers around the load-shedding time plan to avoid the power being cut mid styling.

“When there is no electricity, I can’t work, so I am forced to close.”

Metres away, in More Street, Thulani Khoza was sitting in his empty salon while he waited for customers.

“It came back a few minutes ago. It’s going to go again and if during this period I don’t find customers, I will be forced to close with nothing,” he said.

The 43-year-old said he could not open at 8am as he had no power until 10am.

“It’s tough on us. We are trying to put food on the table. I have spent two hours here and nothing. We are losing a lot,” he said.

The afternoon power cut-offs were also hurting his business,

“When it goes off at 4pm it will come back at 6pm. We normally close around 7pm, so we just have to close.”

TimesLIVE