#FedUpWithLoadShedding: Frustration with Eskom continues to brew

As South Africa continues to battles stage 5 load-shedding with no word from Eskom or end in sight, gatvol South Africans have again flooded social media to vent their frustration at the crisis.

The country was plunged into stage 6 load-shedding at short notice last week before “stabilising” to stage 4 and 5 shortly after. 

It has remained at stage 5 this week, as other breakdowns rack up across the country.

For many South Africans it has meant spending most of their waking day without power, a resource they are still expected to pay for at the end of each month.

And it could get worse if Eskom's recent medium-term adequacy report predictions are correct.

The report aims “to assess over a five-year period the electricity supply shortfall risks that may arise based on foreseeable trends in demand and generation capacity” and noted South Africa could have load-shedding until 2027.

This year has been the worst for load-shedding and the situation will deteriorate as Eskom’s fleet continues to trend downwards, power stations close and demand grows.

“The worst-case scenario shows the energy required to restore the system to adequacy is 18 terawatt-hour (TWh) in 2023, increasing to 30 TWh in 2027. The energy gap of 18 TWh in 2023 is equivalent to Matla Power Station production at full load,” said the report. 

Eskom will have a negative outlook for 2023 to 2027 if its fleet shows no sign of new or improved generation capacity, the report predicted. 

As MPs, who are mostly excluded from the struggles of power cuts, voted on the Phala Phala report in parliament on Tuesday, average South Africans made their voices heard on the real issue they want addressed: load-shedding.

The hashtag #FedUpWithLoadshedding topped the Twitter trends list as citizens took aim at Eskom and government.

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