Malema predicts return to stage six load shedding after elections

South Africans have been without load shedding for 21 days and the power utility Eskom has committed to permanently eliminating it. Picture: Zwelizwe Ndlovu/Independent Newspapers

South Africans have been without load shedding for 21 days and the power utility Eskom has committed to permanently eliminating it. Picture: Zwelizwe Ndlovu/Independent Newspapers

Published Apr 19, 2024

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EFF leader Julius Malema has reiterated his comments that stage six load shedding will return after the May 29 national and provincial elections, stating, "No load shedding during Rugby World Cup periods hits us again."

“I can tell you after 29 May after voting and everything closes, we are going to stage six. They did it during the Rugby World Cup [in 2023], they kept the lights on because they are using the remaining reserves. When we can back from that they said stage 6!” he said.

South Africans have been without load shedding for 21 consecutive days and the power utility Eskom has committed to permanently eliminating it.

Malema said there was no sabotage in the issue of load shedding, stating that the Minister of Electricity and others do not know what they are doing. “They are busy over nothing,” he added.

This was not the first time Malema has slammed Eskom and its failure at keeping the lights on.

Malema addressed the media about the current developments in the 2024 elections campaign during the party's engagement on Friday in Sandton, Johannesburg.

On Wednesday, in a statement, Eskom said that the 21 days without load shedding was a result of sustained generation capacity, adequate emergency reserves, and reduced electricity demand from the grid.

“The last time Eskom achieved a similar milestone was in June 2022, with 20 consecutive days without load shedding,” the power utility said in the statement.

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