The power utility started with stage 2 load-shedding on Sunday, two months after the last round of power cuts hit the country.
Stage 2 calls for 2,000MW to be shed from the national grid.
Eskom is in a financial and operational crisis. It is unable to service its R419bn debt from the revenue it earns. It is also straining to keep the lights on, with multiple breakdowns of its old plants due to neglected maintenance.
The return of load-shedding follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement in the state of the nation address on Thursday that Eskom will be remodeled and split into three state-owned entities dealing with generation, transmission and distribution.
There has also been a significant push-back from business and labour over Eskom’s application for tariff increases for the next three years of 17.1%, 15.4% and 15.5%, respectively.
TimesLIVE
By: NICO GOUS
