Eskom Celebrates 163 Days Without Loadshedding, But Are South Africans Convinced?

Holifil

04 Apr, 2025

Eskom claims it's been 163 days since the last loadshedding event across South Africa.
The utility company saved billions on diesel costs compared to the previous year.
Many South Africans are skeptical, accusing Eskom of misleading the public.

Eskom is patting itself on the back for what it calls a significant accomplishment, but not everyone is ready to join the celebration. Let me tell you, this story has layers, and not everyone is buying what Eskom is selling.

The power utility says it's been 163 days since the last loadshedding event, marking the first winter since 2018 without planned power cuts. But hold on, is it really as simple as it sounds? Let’s dive deeper.

South Africans are not impressed with Eskom's statement celebrating the fact that loadshedding has not been implemented in 163 days. Image: AJ Paulsen. Source: Getty Images

Eskom Saves Big on Diesel Costs

In a statement straight out of their PR handbook, Eskom boasts about keeping the lights on while cutting costs on diesel. According to their numbers, between April and September, they saved over R12 billion on diesel compared to the same period last year. That’s a lot of zeros, folks! But is this the whole story?

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Eskom attributes this savings to better management of their resources and avoiding loadshedding. They’re quick to point out that this financial win helps them stabilize operations. But as with most things, the devil is in the details, and not everyone is convinced.

Load Reduction: A Different Kind of Power Cut

While it’s true that loadshedding hasn’t officially reared its ugly head in almost six months, load reduction has quietly taken its place in certain parts of the country. For those who aren’t familiar, load reduction focuses on high electricity usage areas, sparing the rest of the country from widespread power cuts.

Sounds like a good idea, right? Well, not everyone sees it that way. Critics argue that load reduction is just loadshedding by another name, targeting specific communities, often in townships, with extended power cuts. This raises questions about fairness and transparency in how Eskom manages the country’s energy crisis.

South Africans Speak Out: Is Eskom Lying?

Despite Eskom’s apparent success, many South Africans aren’t ready to celebrate. Social media has been ablaze with criticism, with users accusing Eskom of lying to make themselves look good. The sentiment is clear: load reduction is just loadshedding in disguise, and Eskom is trying to spin the narrative.

Here’s what some citizens had to say:

@ColeNitro:

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“Don't lie. Load reduction is loadshedding.”

@Baps_Deejay:

“Okay mara Limpopo load reduction?”

@Mfanyanah:

“Lies, lies, sies. There's loadshedding across the country! Wonder who supplies the diesel.”

@Philly55922942:

“Stop lying to the nation. Loadshedding is only suspended because you have been subjecting black poor people to load reduction every day for five hours even when they buy electricity.”

@DreamerSib:

“Because responsibility has been shifted to municipalities in the name of load reduction. It is really unfair to speak about loadshedding without load reduction, which is two sides of the same coin.”

@b_lloydmkhize

“Stop the load reduction nonsense in the townships.”

Eskom Proposes a 40% Tariff Hike in Midvaal

While some are questioning Eskom’s claims, others are dealing with the harsh reality of rising electricity costs. In Midvaal, residents are bracing for a potential 40% tariff increase proposed by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa and Eskom.

This news has sparked outrage among locals, with the mayor warning that such a hike could cripple consumers already struggling to make ends meet. Critics argue that Eskom is failing to address the root causes of the energy crisis while burdening the public with skyrocketing costs.

So, what’s the takeaway here? Eskom is celebrating its achievements, but the public remains divided. Some see progress, while others see a continuation of the same problems under a different name. As the debate continues, one thing is certain: South Africans are keeping a close eye on their power provider.