Ntshavheni: Intense load shedding 'a short-term phase'
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has assured to ease concerns over the stability of the country’s electricity grid amid the ongoing implementation of stage 6 load shedding.
She told a post-cabinet media briefing on Thursday that the higher stages of load shedding are “a short-term phase”.
On Tuesday, Eskom plunged the nation into an indefinite stage six load shedding amid a cold snap over large parts of the country.
The embattled power utility has pleaded with South Africans to drastically reduce electricity usage or face higher stages of load shedding. It has been struggling to return generating units back online, including at the Kendal, Matla, and Matimba power stations.
This has led to concerns that the country could see stage 7 load shedding for the first time.
“The implementation of stage 6 load shedding in the past week was a regress from the trends that prevailed in the previous weeks of lower stages of load shedding,” Ntshavheni said.
“Cabinet was assured that the current implementation of increased stages of load shedding is a short-term phase as Eskom prepares for more sustained and lessoned stages of load shedding in the not so distant future.”
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