Eskom To Implement Stage 6 Load-Shedding Throughout The Week

South Africans will face Stage 6 load-shedding throughout the week alongside Stage 4, as per energy company, Eskom.

The company announced that the load-shedding Stage 3 will remain only until 4:00 p.m. Sunday and later, Stage 6 will be implemented until 5:00 a.m. on Monday. Whereas, Stage 4 load-shedding will be implemented from 5:00 a.m. until 4:00 pm on Monday.

Eskom shared that this pattern will repeat throughout the week until further notice. The energy company is dealing with a shortage of 18,016MW of generating capacity.

The power utility disclosed that a generating unit at the Kriel power station has been restored and in the same period, there are other two units at Kriel and Matla power stations that were taken out following the breakdown.

"In addition, the delay in returning units to service at Arnot, Camden, Kendal and two units each at Hendrina and Tutuka power stations continue to add to the current capacity constraints," Eskom said, TimesLive reported. "The team is working around the clock to ensure that generating units are returned to service as soon as possible."

Eskom thanked all the South Africans who are using electricity sparingly and efficiently by keeping the geysers off from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., noting that it helps "to alleviate the pressure on the power system and avoiding higher stages of load-shedding."

Kgosientso Ramokgopa, who got appointed as Minister of Electricity on March 1 by President Cyril Ramaphosa, advised all citizens to switch off geysers to help cut load-shedding stages.

Ramokgopa also noted that the load-shedding problems are technical and it has nothing to do with corruption. The Electricity Minister's statement came after Eskom's former CEO Andre Marinus de Ruyter claimed in February that there was a high level of corruption in the company.

However, it was reported by South Africa Government News Agency that Eskom has welcomed the arrest of a former short-term contract employee named Zandile Rosemary Ngcobo over fraud and corruption allegations over the weekend.

"These arrests continue to demonstrate Eskom's pursuit to ensure that perpetrators face the full might of the law and zero tolerance towards crime," Eskom said on Saturday.

"The accused allegedly colluded with two Eskom employees and a supplier in purchasing a shipping container at an inflated price of R939 550," the energy company added. "The container was delivered on-site, however, it did not meet the specifications and was only valued at R20 000. As a result, Eskom suffered a loss of R919 550."

Eskom noted that it will provide all the required support to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in order to ensure that the suspects are successfully prosecuted.

Earlier this month, a former Eskom official named Nwabisa Ngxola, who used to work as an administrative clerk, was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment for defrauding the power utility of R2.6 million.