PODCAST | Load-shedding and food wastage in SA

The cost of load-shedding on refrigeration in SA is the focus of this edition of the Business Day Spotlight. 

Our host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Mustafa Soylu, CEO of Defy Appliances. 

Established in 1905, Defy is Southern Africa’s largest manufacturer and distributor of major household appliances for kitchen, laundry and small domestic use.

Soylu says the broader impact that load-shedding has on SA’s agricultural sector will continue to compound rising food prices, placing more pressure on consumers. 

“As a matter of urgency, therefore, South African households and businesses need to consider alternative solutions to preserving food, given that load-shedding is predicted to persist into the country’s foreseeable future,” he says.

Join the discussion: 

SA has experienced 91 days of load-shedding up to the end of August, well above the average of 12 days annually in the years immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Soylu says this state of affairs raises costs for consumers and businesses, who are forced to replace grocery or stock items that go bad in times of power outages. Additionally, erratic power surges may damage electrical systems for appliances, which then have to be fixed or replaced. 

He advocates for the use of alternative power solutions such as solar as a means to keep appliances running reliably. 

Topics of discussion include: Defy’s business model; the impact of load-shedding on household appliances, particularly cooling; the need for keeping food items fresh; and possible solutions to the problem. 

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Business Day Spotlight is a MultimediaLIVE production.