Loadshedding Returns: Political Outcry And Public Reaction

Holifil

03 Apr, 2025

The Democratic Alliance (DA) and the official opposition, the MK Party, have slammed Eskom for the return of loadshedding.
Eskom announced the reintroduction of rolling blackouts after 10 months of no loadshedding due to unexpected breakdowns at several power stations.
The DA described the return of loadshedding as a "devastating blow," while the MK Party pointed fingers at poor management, sabotage, and corruption as the root causes.

With nine years of experience under his belt, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist, has provided valuable insights into the infrastructure challenges and state-owned enterprises in South Africa, having worked at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

The MK Party and the DA have strongly criticized Eskom over the return of loadshedding. Images: Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images via Getty Images and Phill Magakoe / AFP via Getty Images. Source: Getty Images

JOHANNESBURG — The Democratic Alliance (DA) and the MK Party have voiced their outrage over Eskom's decision to reimplement loadshedding. This move has been described as a major setback for the country, with many citizens expressing frustration and anger over the situation.

Why is Loadshedding Back?

Eskom's CEO, Dan Marokane, explained that unexpected breakdowns at several power stations forced the state-owned entity to dip into its emergency reserves. While efforts were underway to resolve the issue, the reserves were quickly depleted, leaving Eskom with no choice but to implement Stage 3 loadshedding. The announcement has left many South Africans feeling frustrated and disillusioned, as they had hoped for a more stable power supply after 10 months of relief.

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What Are the Political Parties Saying?

The MK Party's spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, was vocal in his criticism, stating that the ongoing loadshedding crisis is a direct result of rampant corruption, sabotage, and poor management within Eskom. He highlighted the alarming statistic that corruption costs Eskom approximately R1 billion per month, placing a significant financial burden on the company and, by extension, the government. This strain ultimately affects ordinary South Africans, who bear the brunt of these inefficiencies.

The Democratic Alliance echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that South Africans cannot afford to endure the same failures repeatedly. The DA described the return of loadshedding as a "devastating blow" to the nation and reiterated its commitment to fighting until loadshedding becomes a thing of the past. The party urged the government to take decisive action to address the root causes of the energy crisis.

Eastern Cape residents struggle with loadshedding, with some children forced to do their schoolwork in the dark. Image: Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images. Source: Getty Images

South Africans Weigh In

The return of loadshedding has sparked widespread outrage on social media platforms like Facebook, where users have voiced their frustrations and disappointment with the government and Eskom.

Richard Maphanga expressed his concerns, stating:

"Now is the time for South Africans to wake up. If we continue down this path, we'll face loadshedding again and again. It's not enough to simply acknowledge the problem; we need to act with our conscience, not just our hearts."

Ray Gordon added:

"This is like boiling a frog slowly. They want us to accept paying any price for electricity. It's time to stand up and demand better."

Sakata Gintoki was more direct in his criticism:

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"The ANC cheated on the exams, and they'll cheat again on the next one. As long as the ANC is in power, things will only get worse. Change is desperately needed."

Denise Keegan urged citizens to take action:

"It's time for South Africans to wake up and remove the ANC from power. The future of our country depends on it."

Ronicka Moodley summarized the sentiment succinctly:

"They're all corrupt. It's time to hold them accountable."

NERSA Approves Tariff Hikes Amid Public Outcry

In related news, Briefly News reported that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has approved a 12.7% tariff hike, which will take effect in April 2025. Eskom had initially requested a tariff increase of over 35%, sparking significant controversy.

NERSA also approved a 5.36% increase for 2026 and a 6.19% increase for 2027. These decisions have been met with anger and frustration from the public, with many labeling the hikes as "outrageous" and demanding transparency from both Eskom and the government. As the energy crisis continues to unfold, South Africans are left wondering what the future holds for their country's power supply and economic stability.