No load shedding expected during lockdown
South Africans can breathe a sigh of relief during what is sure to be testing times as Eskom announced it doesn’t expect any load shedding during the course of the lockdown.
On Monday President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered a national lockdown effective at midnight on Thursday.
The lockdown is expected to last 21 days while government tried to get a handle of the spread of coronavirus.
The tally of infections had spiked above 900 on Thursday.
Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha says the demand for electricity is likely to decline during the 21-day period.
"Eskom has had to postpone the philosophy maintenance for the duration of the lockdown as we have to keep the number of workers on site at a minimum.
"We have instead shifted the focus to carrying out short-term maintenance and other repairs in order to optimised the generation units to meet the rising demand after the lockdown," says Mantshantsha.
The power utility is classified an essential service and will continue to function throughout the lockdown period.
"As such, we do not expect any impediments to the generation and supply of electricity during this period," Mantshantsha adds.
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KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala received the consignment during an event on Thursday. The masks were distributed to members of the community during a clean-up operation at the Cato Crest informal settlement. Zikalala said the provincial government will ensure that all communities adhere to the national lockdown.