JOHANNESBURG – South Africans are at their wits end trying to cope with rolling blackouts at home, work and on the roads for the past week.
Eskom and government, however, say that they need about two weeks to determine how long load shedding will last but it is likely that this is the country’s new reality for at least the next six months.
While some people use humour to deal with the situation, others are outright angry.
South Africans are known for their passion and the past week has shown just how passionate people can be when left without power for up to eight hours per day.
It is the first time since load shedding began in 2008 that rolling blackouts have continued throughout the night and the country has hit stage 4 during the day in summer, when electricity demand is usually lower compared to winter.
For residents in Randpark Ridge, the situation is even worse because they are also experiencing a technical issue.
“We haven’t had electricity for 36 hours, so you can imagine the traffic in the morning – it’s gridlocked.”
What makes matters worse is that water cuts may be on the horizon because electricity is needed to pump water from the reservoir into the towers.
On a lighter note, South Africans are creating new memes every day on how they are coping with the power cuts and the silver lining for many is that they are now talking to their families in the evening while technology has been forced to take a back seat.
#Loadshedding Stage 8 pic.twitter.com/pJ0zUfcaAC
— TheGuyTheyWarnedYouAbout (@Innocent_Cbiya) March 19, 2019
#Loadshedding Stage 8 pic.twitter.com/pJ0zUfcaAC
— TheGuyTheyWarnedYouAbout (@Innocent_Cbiya) March 19, 2019
Everytime I light candles my 3 year old sings happy birthday & blow the candles #Loadshedding #LoadsheddingSurvivalTips
*St* pic.twitter.com/01Xen1KRwm— Black & Blessed ❤❤✌ (@Mama_Bridgie) March 19, 2019
Stage 5 and Stage 6 is nothing, stage 10 they pulling electrical cables off the poles. #Loadshedding #Eskom 💡💡😭😭 pic.twitter.com/IUXqmhVb7f
— T-KANI SA (@Tkani_MakeMoney) March 19, 2019
#Loadshedding stage 12: Eskom takes your Castle Lite and gives you a Savana Dark#LoadsheddingSurvivalTips pic.twitter.com/RWOHyGmBBS
— Damzo (@10Damzo) March 19, 2019