National shutdown: Eskom suspends load shedding for entire day

As the country battles with the national shutdown, Eskom has suspended load shedding until Tuesday.

The crumbling state-owned entity made the announcement on Monday.

Eskom Crisis Communication Manager Menzi Mngomezulu said there has been a lower than expected demand for electricity.

Load shedding suspended

“Due to the significantly lower than anticipated demand for electricity today, load shedding will be suspended at 11am today (Monday) until 4pm on Tuesday, 21 March, when stage 2 load shedding will be implemented.”

The suspension of the deliberate power cuts will be welcomed by South Africans ahead of Human Rights Day on Tuesday.

Recoveries

Over the past week, the parastatal has announced a number of improvements to the electricity grid, which has lowered load shedding from the crippling high stages of earlier this month.

On Sunday, Mngomezulu said breakdowns were currently at 15 645MW of generating capacity while 4 942MW of generating capacity was out of service for planned maintenance.

“During the last 24 hours a generating unit at Duvha Power Station was taken offline for repairs. The delays in returning units to service at Matla, Tutuka and Medupi power stations continues.”

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Load shedding court case

Meanwhile, the full bench of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria is set to hear the legal case brought by the United Democratic Movement (UDM) and 18 others to declare load shedding unconstitutional.

The case involves different arms of government as respondents, including, the Presidency, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa), the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, (DMRE), and the Eskom management and board.

Applicants

The applicants in the matter include the UDM, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), the Health and Allied workers Indaba Trade Union (HAITU), Build One South Africa (BOSA), the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), and Democracy In Action (DIA).

Monday’s court proceedings will be virtual due to the planned national shutdown by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

The first part of the case is scheduled to be heard from Monday until Friday, and the second part on 23 May.

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