Eskom says it will not stop load reduction as long as communities continue with electricity theft. Traditional leaders organisation, Contralesa has appealed to Eskom and government to come up with a permanent solution to the non-payment of electricity instead of using the load reduction system.

Eskom spokesperson Sikhonathi Mantsantsha says they acknowledge Contralesa’s concern but says areas where load reduction is implemented are rife with illegal electricity connections.

Mantsantsha says this results in Eskom infrastructure being damaged, “We have absolutely no choice, the only way this can be stopped, the load reduction during the hours between 5pm and 9 pm and indeed between 5am and 9am that is in the morning. The only way this can stop is when the is a significant reduction in the theft of electricity by some member of the community.”