Gauteng Braces for Another Week of Load Reduction: Here’s Who’s Affected

Gauteng’s Lights Flicker Again as Load Reduction Continues

It’s another tough week for Gauteng residents as Eskom’s load reduction programme rolls on, bringing planned blackouts to neighbourhoods across the province. For many, the schedule has become as familiar as the evening news, yet no less frustrating.

From Monday to Sunday, certain areas will face power cuts lasting between five and six hours during peak demand. Morning outages strike from 5am to 9am, while evening blackouts run from 5pm to 10pm, depending on the zone.

Where and When the Power Will Go Off

Morning load reduction (5am – 9am)
Areas like Zuma, Mavimbela, Dube, Riverside and parts of Meadowlands will wake up to darkness. Mofolo, Jabavu, Chiawelo, and several informal settlements are also affected.

Evening load reduction (5pm – 10pm)
Protea Glen, Kagiso, Duduza, Westonaria, Dobsonville, Naledi, Zola, and Mabopane are among the communities spending their evenings without electricity.

The schedule rotates weekly, giving residents a rough idea of when they’ll be affected, but it still means juggling work, cooking, and even homework around blackout hours.

This Week’s Full List of Affected Areas

• Beverly Hills

• Daveyton

• Cosmo City

• Naledi

• Breswol

• Vosloorus

• Cuba

• Graceland

• Spruit View

How Locals Are Coping

On social media, frustration is running high. Some residents are calling it “Stage 9 by stealth,” claiming load reduction feels worse than scheduled load shedding because it targets specific communities more often. Others are sharing tips on cooking with gas, investing in solar lights, or charging devices at work to stay connected.

Community WhatsApp groups have become unofficial “power cut support lines,” with neighbours warning each other about unplanned extensions beyond the scheduled hours.

Why Load Reduction Exists

Eskom says load reduction is necessary to prevent infrastructure damage in areas where the grid is under severe strain, often due to illegal connections or overloading. While the measure isn’t new, its frequency has left many feeling like it’s become a semi-permanent feature of life in parts of Gauteng.

With no immediate end in sight, residents are being urged to plan ahead, keep backup lighting handy, and check Eskom’s official schedule to avoid being caught off guard.

Load-reduction-schedule-GAUTENG-AUG-2025-1

{Source: The Citizen}

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