“Eskom commenced with Stage 1 load shedding at 17:41 today (14 June 2018). We anticipate that this will continue until 8 pm tonight. Eskom is load shedding according to the published load shedding schedules‚” the electricity parastatal said.
Eskom has commenced with stage 1 load-shedding on Thursday evening due to the current industrial action in which some incidents of sabotage have been reported.
Earlier‚ Eskom spokesperson Khulu Phasiwe tweeted: “Due to severe power constraints‚ Eskom will implement stage 1 of load-shedding from now (17:50) until 20:00. Acts of intimidation and sabotage have resulted in Eskom being unable to ensure uninterrupted power supply.”
#PowerUpdate: Due to severe power constraints, Eskom will implement stage 1 of loadshedding from now (17:50) until 20:00. Acts of intimidation and sabotage have resulted in Eskom being unable to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
— Khulu Phasiwe (@KhuluPhasiwe) June 14, 2018
The power utility urged South Africans to reduce the risk of load shedding by switching off geysers‚ heating‚ pool pumps‚ and all non-essential appliances on Thursday from 5 pm to 8 pm.
“The national power system will be constrained this evening as a result of the ongoing industrial action.” The power utility said in a statement it was working with other national structures and stakeholders to keep its power plants operational.
The president of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa‚ Andrew Chirwa‚ said Thursday’s strike at Eskom operations across the country was just a warning of what was to come. Members of trade unions Numsa‚ the National Union of Mineworkers (Num) and Solidarity are protesting against a wage freeze.
Source: Times Live
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