Load-shedding moves to stage 5 after failure of five generating units

Load-shedding will increase to stage 5 on Monday afternoon after the failure of generating units at power utility Eskom’s plants. 

Eskom had initially announced that the country would stay on stage 4 load-shedding until Tuesday, which was meant to be reduced to stage 3 from Tuesday afternoon. But the power utility said five generating units failed, resulting in Eskom rolling out stage 5 from 4pm on Monday.  

Eskom interim spokesperson Daphne Mokwena said this will continue until 5am on Tuesday morning. “Thereafter, stage 4 load-shedding will resume until further notice,” she said. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to reshuffle his cabinet on Monday night. There are hopes he will finally appoint a minister of electricity after his announcement of the new portfolio last month to address the energy crisis. 

According to media reports, Ramaphosa’s infrastructure adviser Kgosientsho Ramokgopa is the preferred candidate for the job.

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