Energy: What’s Really Going On With South Africa’s Power Supply

When we talk about Energy, the power that runs homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure across South Africa. Also known as electricity supply, it’s no longer just a utility—it’s a daily battle for millions. In Cape Town and beyond, Energy isn’t about convenience anymore. It’s about survival. Every time the lights go out, it’s not just an inconvenience—it’s a ripple effect that shuts down clinics, stalls deliveries, and leaves kids studying by phone light.

At the center of this is Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned power utility responsible for generating and distributing most of the country’s electricity. Eskom’s aging plants, maintenance backlogs, and fuel shortages have turned routine maintenance into nationwide crises. When Stage 6 load shedding hits, it’s not a forecast—it’s a reality. Places like George and Uniondale now know exactly when the power will drop: 20:00 to 00:30 in George, 23:00 to 03:30 in Uniondale. These aren’t random schedules. They’re emergency cuts designed to stop the whole grid from collapsing. And while the Power Grid, the network of transmission lines, substations, and transformers that deliver electricity from power stations to homes. was built for a different era, it’s still the lifeline everyone depends on.

It’s not just about when the power goes out—it’s about what happens after. People are learning to delay using washing machines, geysers, or ovens until after restoration. Why? Because if everyone turns everything on at once, the system trips again. That’s why the Load Shedding, a controlled, temporary shutdown of electricity in specific areas to prevent total grid failure. app, EskomSePush, has become essential. It doesn’t just tell you when the lights will go out—it helps you plan your day around it. And with no quick fix in sight, this isn’t a temporary problem. It’s the new normal.

Behind every outage is a story: a small business losing inventory, a nurse rushing to finish a procedure, a student missing an online class. The Energy crisis isn’t happening in some distant boardroom—it’s in your kitchen, your office, your car charging station. What you’re about to read isn’t just news. It’s a record of how people are adapting, surviving, and pushing back against a system that’s failing them. Below, you’ll find real updates, real impacts, and real solutions people are trying right now.