Eskom has implemented stage 3 loadshedding across South Africa and SA isn’t happy about it but we have some helpful advice to get you through.
South Africa – Eskom has rolled out Stage 3 loadshedding as of this week and pretty much up and out of the blue. The power outages have caused major headaches for South African business. As of writing this, the North of Johannesburg where we have our offices, is out of power.
Traffic is being heavily affected and tempers are flaring. But let’s collect ourselves for a moment and take a look at how we can better prepare for load shedding. Thankfully, South Africans have some well-earned experience from a few years back when black-outs became a norm in every household.
We could easily dwell on how annoying loadshedding is, but where is the fun in that? Instead, we have come up with a list of things to do that could help anyone through loadshedding.
How do you tell if you will be affected by loadshedding?
Firstly, the lights are off… ok not funny! Easy, head on over to the designated load shedding website here, type in your neighbourhood and take a look at the schedule. There are also apps available that will ping you a notification when your area is going to lose power.
If you search EskomSePush on the Play Store or the Apple App Store, it will come up. It is the highest rated app available.
How to prepare for loadshedding? (Plus safety tips)
Once again, fairly easy. Make sure you know when your area has scheduled loadshedding and prepare ahead. Make sure you have alternative light sources, for safety reasons, keep all candles and open flames a safe distance from anything flammable and in protective jars. Do not fall asleep before blowing out your candles.
Charge all your electronic devices, check your gas items are full and stock up on wood for your fireplaces and/or braai. When using gas or fire, ensure the room is well ventilated.
If you are making use of a generator, always be mindful of keeping it in an area that will not deeply annoy your neighbours and stock up on fuel that you may need to run it.
Things to do during loadshedding.
- Have conversations with your family and friends, reconnect during the downtime.
- Snuggle your pets, children or partner – let them know you love them.
- Play card games together or learn a new game.
- Read a book you have been meaning to, just make sure you have enough light so that you don’t damage your eyes.
- Build a fort in the lounge and camp out for the evening.
- Start a puzzle, again make sure you have sufficient light for this task.
- Teach your children a skill they might not know yet.
- Download podcasts or ebooks to listen to while stuck in load shedding traffic.
Whatever you do, see this as a time to reconnect with the people in your home instead of seeing it as an inconvenience. Life is short and these moments are perfect for making the most of the time we have.
by 