City Power battling with the knock-on effect of load shedding

Johannesburg' City Power says it is battling with the knock-on effect of load shedding, including the damaging effect on its infrastructure when power surges occur. 

City Power's Isaac Mangena says: "The electricity system is not designed to be switched on and off.

"In some instances, we experience a failure to our equipment and also the cables because of the insurge of current when we do the restoration."

On Wednesday, Stage 2 load shedding was unexpectedly introduced and is set to remain in place for a week. 

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE)'s Steve Mabona says matriculants in the province were severely affected by the load shedding.

Mangena says apart from equipment failing, some customers are assuming they are being load shed when they are in fact experiencing other electricity challenges. 

"Most consumers confused load shedding with some of these trips that happened when we restore," he says. 

He urged customers to log a call with City Power if their power is not restored when it's supposed to. 

He explains that because the load shedding hit so unexpectedly, some customers were shed with different blocks from the ones they are usually grouped with. 

However, these issues have been addressed and he says from Thursday, load shedding will take place as per the schedules provided. 

Listen to Mangena below: