Things South Africans Do During Load Shedding (That Make No Sense) – And What Actually Works

Things South Africans Do During Load Shedding

Load shedding. It’s a word we’ve all learned to say with a sigh, sometimes with humour, sometimes with pure exasperation. What started as a short‑term measure has become part of life for many of us in South Africa. It disrupts work, home life, and even basic things like cooking dinner.

But along with stocking up on candles and tapping “⏰” into group chats before the lights go out, there are some truly puzzling habits we’ve picked up, habits that don’t help much, and sometimes make coping harder.

Here’s a look at those “load shedding rituals” that make no sense and what you should actually be doing instead.

1. Lighting Every Candle in the House

Old story: lights go out → candles everywhere.

Problem? Not only is it a fire risk, but burning too many candles doesn’t really solve the lighting issue for daily tasks and it makes no sense when safer, better lighting options exist.

What works instead:
• Rechargeable LED lamps and torches
• Solar lanterns or battery‑powered lights

These are safer, brighter, and reusable unlike candles that just burn out.

2. Cooking Every Meal Last Minute

We’ve all been there: the power cuts just as you’re about to cook stew… so you try to boil and braai everything at once.

The reality? Not every meal makes sense to cook at the last second. It’s chaotic, stressful, and can leave you with burnt food or half‑cooked meals.

What works instead:
• Batch cook before shedding starts
• Keep microwave or gas‑stove‑friendly meals ready
• Use slow cookers or Wonderbags to finish meals without power

If you prepare your food ahead of time it makes daily life smoother.

3. Panic Charging Everything

Phone, laptop, speaker, tablet plug them all in!
Sounds logical, right?

But frantically plugging in every device at once just overloads your outlets and eats into your remaining power time.

What works instead:
• Prioritise essentials first (phone, laptop for work)
• Use power banks and UPS systems wisely
• Charge incrementally instead of all at once

This ensures your most useful devices stay on longer.

4. Waiting for Power to Go Back On… Listening to the Silence

Some people literally sit in silence waiting for the power to return almost like watching a pot that’ll magically boil faster.

It’s understandable. Load shedding can be frustrating and disorienting. But staring at a wall won’t make it come back quicker.

What works instead:
• Read a book or journal
• Do offline hobbies like cooking, art, or puzzle games
• Go for a walk if safe

South Africans have learned to adapt many choose offline activities to keep their minds busy and less focused on the blackout itself.

5. Assuming There’s No Electricity Anywhere

One of the weird things we often see is people assuming that once load shedding starts, all their appliances and lights are absolutely gone even when they’ve got backups.

This leads to moments like hurriedly turning off geysers or fridges that were actually already supported by an inverter or generator.

What works instead:
• Learn your system’s capabilities
• Know what stays on and what doesn’t
• Avoid overreacting or needlessly switching things off

Knowledge keeps you calmer and makes your backup systems more effective.

6. Dropping Everything and Watching TV on Mobile Data

Yes, load shedding often means your home Wi‑Fi is offline. But the jump to burning through mobile data just to stream shows isn’t always practical and it doesn’t make sense if you’re trying to save money too.

People sometimes waste data on trivial content because it’s “something to do.”

What works instead:
• Save offline content before load shedding hits
• Keep ebooks, podcasts, and music downloaded
• Use the offline hours for reading or creative hobbies it’s actually productive!

7. Crowding Around One Tiny Light Source

A classic picture: a whole household huddled around one bright light or tiny torch, like moths to a flame. Looks cute on Instagram, but it’s not an efficient way to live.

One light doesn’t evenly illuminate a home, making cooking, cleaning, and working harder.

What works instead:
• Spread LED lights around key areas
• Use small solar lanterns in different rooms
• Bright lights in kitchen and workspaces first

More balanced lighting makes life easier during an outage.

8. Ignoring the Schedule Until the Last Minute

There’s a reason apps and schedules exist yet some people still check only after the power goes off.

Load shedding schedules are published and predictable if you pay attention.

What works instead:
• Get a load shedding app or sign up for alerts
• Plan meals and tasks around scheduled outages
• Charge devices ahead of time

A little planning goes a long way.

9. Forgetting Basic Safety During the Dark

Candles lit, kettle boiling suddenly no visibility. Some people forget basic home safety habits during load shedding.

False sense of calm can lead to:
• Trips and falls
• Burns from candles
• Unattended hot stoves

What works instead:
• Keep pathways lit
• Use safer lighting (LED lanterns)
• Have a plan for kids or elderly family members

10. Assuming Load Shedding Will Never End

There’s a cultural narrative that load shedding will last forever a story many South Africans tell each other with resignation or humour.

(load shedding has persisted for years due to supply issues and grid strain, with rolling outages remaining necessary when demand outstrips supply).

What works instead:
• Adapt, but stay optimistic
• Invest in practical solutions (solar, UPS, gas appliances)
• Focus on long‑term habits, not short‑term panic

Load shedding may be a reality in South Africa, but some of the things we do lighting candles everywhere, panicking about power, crowding around a torch are more instinct than strategy.

Smarter habits don’t just make the experience less stressful they make it liveable.

And the more South Africans adapt with creativity, planning, and a little humour, the more resilient we become in the face of the dark.

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