Eskom announces weekend load shedding – here’s the schedule

Eskom has announced the load shedding schedule for the weekend, with the power utility continuing its rotation from stage 1 and stage 3.
Eskom said that it will implement stage 3 load shedding from 16h00 on Friday, 18 August.
Stage 1 load shedding will then be implemented from 05h00 on Saturday, 19 August until 16h00 on the same day, when it will return to stage 3.
This pattern will continue on Sunday. The schedule for the weekend is below:
Friday, 18 August
- Stage 1: until 16h00
- Stage 3: 16h00 to 00h00
Saturday, 16 August
- Stage 3: 00h00 to 05h00
- Stage 1: 05h00 to 16h00
- Stage 3: 16h00 to 00h00
Thursday, 17 August
- Stage 3: 00h00 to 05h00
- Stage 1: 05h00 to 16h00
- Stage 3: 16h00 to 00h00
Despite the relatively lower stages of load shedding, South Africa now has a framework in case stage 16 load shedding hits.
Last week, the National energy regulator Nersa released a consultation document for public comment, which aims to restructure load shedding in South Africa.
It is proposed that the way load shedding is calculated changes to look at the percentage of demand shed instead of the number of thousands of MWs.
The new system allows for stage 16 load shedding, which would shed 80% of demand. However, Chair of the management committee of the National Rationalised Specifications Association of South Africa, Vally Padayachee, said that South Africa will likely never get to that level of power cuts.
Schedules
For people living in the major metros, load shedding schedules are available here:
- City of Johannesburg
- City of Ekurhuleni
- City of Tshwane
- City of Cape Town (PDF)
- Nelson Mandela Bay
- eThekwini
- Manguang
- Buffalo City
For access to other load shedding schedules, Eskom has made them available on loadshedding.eskom.co.za.
Smartphone users can also download the app EskomSePush to receive push notifications when load shedding is implemented, as well as the times the area you are in will be off.