Eskom removes more than 1 million customers from load reduction; five provinces now free

Eskom has removed 1 104 225 customers from load reduction schedules, the utility said on 9 July 2026, marking what it described as a major milestone in its programme to eradicate load reduction across the country.

Progress and scale

Eskom said the freed customers represent 65.17% progress towards its national target. The utility also reported that the programme has eliminated 545 feeders through national load reduction efforts.

Provinces now free of load reduction

Five provinces have been declared free of load reduction: Western Cape, Northern Cape, Free State, North West and Mpumalanga. Eskom said the remaining provinces still affected are Gauteng and KwaZulu‑Natal.

Targets for full eradication

The utility said the achievement keeps it on track to eliminate load reduction in seven provinces by October 2026, with full national eradication targeted by March 2027.

Why load reduction was used

Eskom distinguished load reduction from load shedding, noting that South Africa’s power system had been stable for more than 413 consecutive days without load shedding under its Generation Recovery Plan. The utility described load reduction as a temporary measure intended to protect infrastructure in areas affected by illegal connections, electricity theft, meter tampering and demand exceeding network capacity.

Measures behind the progress

Eskom said it is addressing root causes through several interventions, including targeted distribution investment, the rollout of smart meters, integration of distributed energy resources, expansion of Free Basic Electricity support, revenue-protection initiatives, and collaboration with municipalities.

Community partnership and reporting

Addressing communities and stakeholders, Eskom highlighted the ongoing pressure that illegal connections, electricity theft, meter tampering and vandalism place on local networks and urged customers to report incidents.

Customers are asked to report illegal connections and infrastructure damage to the Eskom Crime Line at 0800 112 722 or via WhatsApp at 081 333 3323.

Response from Eskom leadership

“This milestone demonstrates that the programme is delivering tangible results,”

“The elimination of load reduction forms part of Eskom’s broader commitment to transforming electricity service delivery across South Africa.”

Both statements were attributed to Junaid Munshi, Eskom Group Executive for Distribution.

Looking ahead

Eskom said that while significant progress has been made, some communities still experience the impact of load reduction and that the remaining affected areas will need sustained investment, advanced technologies and continued collaboration with communities and stakeholders.