Load Shedding Today: Is There Load Shedding in South Africa? Status, Stages and Schedules
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Load shedding is still one of the most searched words in South Africa, mostly by people who want to know if the lights will go off tonight. This page answers that first, then explains the difference between load shedding and load reduction, what each stage means, how to find your schedule and what to do if load shedding comes back.
Is There Load Shedding Today?
| Status | |
|---|---|
| Load shedding | None. The last load shedding ended on 16 May 2025 |
| Days in a row without load shedding | 532 on 30 October 2026, Eskom said |
| Load reduction | About 193,556 customers (2.7% of Eskom’s customers) in parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal |
| Provinces with no load reduction | Seven of the nine provinces |
| Eskom’s target | No more load reduction by March 2027 |
If Eskom announces load shedding, it says which stage applies and from what time. We check Eskom’s statements every day, and the stage and times will go at the top of this page.
Customers who buy electricity from a municipality, such as City Power in Johannesburg or the City of Cape Town, follow their municipality’s schedule. Their power can also go off for local reasons, like a cable fault or planned maintenance, which is not load shedding.
Load Shedding vs Load Reduction
The two sound the same, and in both cases the lights go off, but they are not the same thing.
| Load shedding | Load reduction | |
|---|---|---|
| Why it happens | The whole country does not have enough electricity, so Eskom cuts demand nationally | Local power networks get overloaded at peak times, so Eskom switches off certain areas to protect them |
| Who is affected | Everyone on a schedule, in turn, by stage | Only specific areas, mostly in parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal |
| Is it on now? | No, not since 16 May 2025 | Yes, for about 193,556 customers (30 October 2026) |
| How to check | Eskom’s load shedding schedule or your municipality | Eskom’s notices for your area |
Eskom said on 30 October 2026 that the number of customers with load reduction had fallen by 88.6%, from about 1.69 million to 193,556.
Load Shedding Stages Explained
A stage tells you how much electricity has to be cut from the national grid. The higher the stage, the more often your area is switched off and the longer each cut lasts. These are Eskom’s own definitions.
| Stage | Up to this much cut from the grid | How often your area goes off over four days |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | 1,000 MW | Up to 3 times, 2 hours each |
| Stage 2 | 2,000 MW | Up to 6 times, 2 hours each |
| Stage 3 | 3,000 MW | Up to 9 times, 2 hours each |
| Stage 4 | 4,000 MW | Up to 12 times, 2 hours each |
| Stage 5 | 5,000 MW | Up to 12 times: 9 times for 2 hours and 3 times for 4 hours |
| Stage 6 | 6,000 MW | Up to 12 times: 6 times for 2 hours and 6 times for 4 hours |
| Stage 7 | 7,000 MW | Up to 12 times: 3 times for 2 hours and 9 times for 4 hours |
| Stage 8 | 8,000 MW | Up to 12 times, 4 hours each |
Every slot has an extra 30 minutes added so that networks can be switched safely. In a 2-hour slot, you can therefore be without power for up to 2 and a half hours. In Eskom-supplied areas of Johannesburg, the slots are 4 hours long even at the lower stages.
How to Check Your Load Shedding Schedule
If load shedding returns, this is how to find out when your area will be off.
- Find out who supplies your electricity. If you pay Eskom directly, use Eskom’s schedule. If you pay your municipality, use the municipality’s schedule.
- On Eskom’s load shedding website, type your suburb or town into the search box, or choose your province, municipality and suburb from the lists.
- Note your area’s letter or name. Eskom splits some areas into parts, such as A and B or North and South, because networks do not follow suburb borders exactly.
- Read the times for the current stage. When the stage changes, your times change too.
- If you cannot find your area, Eskom suggests logging in to its CS Online service, calling its Contact Centre or using the MyEskom app. Municipal customers should contact their municipality.
Some private apps also show schedules and send alerts. They take their times from Eskom and the municipalities, so if an app and the official schedule differ, follow the official one.
Why Load Shedding Stopped
Eskom gives these reasons and figures in its statement of 30 October 2026:
- Its power stations break down less often. Unplanned outages averaged 9,082 MW, down from 16,139 MW three years earlier, and improved by 6.33% compared with a year before.
- More of its power station capacity is available. Its energy availability factor for the financial year so far was 68.15%, the highest in six years.
- It is doing more planned maintenance, averaging 6,077 MW, or 12.77% of its capacity, against 11.32% a year earlier. Planned maintenance helps prevent breakdowns later.
Could Load Shedding Come Back?
Nobody can promise it will not. Load shedding happens when Eskom cannot supply all the demand, usually because too many power station units break down at the same time. Eskom’s statement of 30 October 2026 does not include an outlook for the 2026/27 summer. When Eskom publishes one, we will add what it says here.
What you can watch:
- Eskom’s weekly power system statements, which give the number of days without load shedding and the state of its power stations.
- Big breakdowns or very high demand, for example during a heat wave or a cold snap.
- Your municipality’s notices, because local faults and load reduction can switch your power off even when there is no load shedding.
How to Be Ready If It Returns
- Keep phones and power banks charged, and have a torch or rechargeable light at home.
- Switch off big appliances such as geysers, stoves and pumps during a cut. When the power comes back, switch them on one by one to avoid a surge.
- If you use a gas heater or stove indoors, keep a window open, and never use a generator inside the house.
- If you buy a battery backup or solar system, use a registered installer and get a certificate of compliance for any work on your electrical installation.
Load Shedding Questions
Is there load shedding today?
No. There has been no load shedding in South Africa since 16 May 2025. On 30 October 2026, Eskom counted 532 days in a row without it. Some areas in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal still have load reduction, which is a local switch-off, not load shedding.
Is Eskom currently load shedding?
No. Eskom’s latest statement, on 30 October 2026, reported no load shedding since 16 May 2025. If Eskom announces a stage, it says so in a media statement and on its load shedding website.
What does load shedding mean?
Load shedding means Eskom switches off electricity to areas in turn, according to a schedule, because the country does not have enough power for everyone at the same time. It protects the national grid from a complete collapse.
What is the difference between load shedding and load reduction?
Load shedding is a national cut, in stages, when there is not enough electricity. Load reduction is a local cut in specific areas to protect overloaded networks at peak times. Load reduction can happen even when there is no load shedding.
How long is load shedding at Stage 2?
At Stage 2, your area can be switched off up to 6 times over four days, for 2 hours at a time, plus up to 30 minutes for switching. In Eskom-supplied areas of Johannesburg, slots are 4 hours long.