Western Cape electricity update: Eskom announces Stage 4 loadshedding | Western Cape Government

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Western Cape electricity update: Eskom announces Stage 4 loadshedding

2 September 2020

Eskom’s announcement of stage 4 loadshedding is a bitter blow to the Western Cape economy just starting to pick up from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. 

Premier Alan Winde said: "Today, as the Western Cape cabinet deliberated on plans to rebuild our economy and save jobs lost in the COVID-19 pandemic, we received news that Eskom has escalated loadshedding to Stage 4. The Western Cape economy has been significantly impacted by the hard lockdown which has resulted in the loss of thousands of jobs. Our focus right now must be on recovery but load shedding adds another layer of difficulty to already struggling businesses. The move to Stage 4 loadshedding at a time like this is devastating to all of our efforts to save jobs and stave off unemployment pandemic." 

The Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, Anton Bredell says an estimated 36% of total Eskom installed plant is currently offline. “Stage 4 loadshedding comes at the worst possible time with our citizens hunkered down against a vicious storm in the province. The provincial disaster management authorities continue to be on standby to assist any member of the public in case of emergency.” 

Bredell says it would also be prudent for the public to be prepare for the possibility of loadshedding continuing over the next few days. 

Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier, says it has been estimated that Stage 4 load shedding will cost the South African economy an estimated R2 billion per day, while the cost to the Western Cape is around R300 million per day. 

“Businesses in the Western Cape are already hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Add to this an electricity crisis, and this will certainly be a harsh blow for many businesses already on the precipice of closure, resulting in further job losses in the Western Cape. Frustratingly, with just the stroke of a pen national government could drastically change the current energy crisis. With the stroke of a pen, the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, could lift the 1MW cap on self-generation to immediately bring online significant amounts of renewable energy onto the national grid, and, with the stroke of a pen, he could immediately open bid window 5. While national government continues to drag its feet, we will continue to do everything we can to build energy resilience in the Western Cape and support businesses to beat loadshedding.”

 Maynier says businesses or members of the public looking for advice on beating loadshedding, can look at resources available on the 110% Green website: www.westerncape.gov.za/110green

Media Enquiries: 

James-Brent Styan
Spokesperson to the Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Telephone: +27 21 483 2820
Mobile: +27 84 5831670
E-mail: james-brent.styan@westerncape.gov.za