Stay energy-wise and improve resilience to load-shedding

12 December 2019 

The City of Cape Town welcomes the undertaking by President Cyril Ramaphosa that no load-shedding will be experienced between 17 December 2019 and 13 January 2020. Thanks to the people of Cape Town for their patience and cooperation during this time. The City continues to promote energy saving and preparedness tips to enhance the resilience of its residents and businesses.

Transversally, the City continues to put operational measures in place to reduce the impact on City operations and to ensure that the City becomes more resilient against future energy supply disruptions caused by load-shedding.

‘Cape Town’s share of the national usage is about 5% of the total national usage. Our electricity savings efforts and our attempts to curb electricity losses as a result of theft and vandalism have been outstanding, however load-shedding is outside of the City’s control. We all need to look at how we can enhance our resilience in Cape Town. We continue to petition the powers that be to allow the City to buy energy from independent power producers as a means to introduce cleaner energy into the system and of enhancing security of supply over the medium term. Meanwhile, our roll out of contingency measures carries on across City operations.

‘We thank the residents of Cape Town for their support and patience during the rough time that we have had as a result of load-shedding. We look forward to decisive action at a national level, one that will lead to cleaner energy and more stable security of supply,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy and Climate Change, Councillor Phindile Maxiti.

Eskom’s load-shedding Stage 2 continues today. The City will carry on informing residents as soon as it receives any updates from Eskom, which usually is at short notice.

Improve your resilience to load-shedding

- Print out the load-shedding schedule which is available on the City’s website at www.capetown.gov.za/loadshedding. Eskom-supplied customers are encouraged to check Eskom’s website for the schedule

- If load-shedding affects traffic lights, the intersection should be regarded as a four-way stop. The first motorist to stop has right of way if it is safe to proceed

- Switch off appliances ahead of load-shedding to reduce the risk of damage from power surges

- Switch off those appliances that you don’t need

- Switch off your geyser and only switch it on for up to two hours per day. This will save a lot of electricity and it will save you money

- Delay switching on lights and appliances until after the peak periods (between 17:00 and 21:00) whenever possible

- Switch off your pool pump, geyser and other large electrical equipment, and never run both at the same time

- Adjust air conditioners to 23 degrees Celsius if you need to use them

- Visit www.SavingElectricity.org.za for more tips to save electricity

- If your electricity remains off for longer than the period specified in the schedule, SMS the City’s technical operations centre on 31220, submit a service request online or call 0860 103 089.

Issued by Phindile Maxiti, City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy and Climate Change, 12 December 2019