Eskom has warned that load shedding could continue until April if the current status quo remains.
The power utility says it was forced to implement stage two load shedding on Sunday because of capacity problems.
Eskom says that stage two load shedding is done as a last resort to protect the power grid from total collapse.
It says that it may struggle to keep the lights on for the next few months.
The power utility says it was forced to implement stage two load shedding on Sunday to preserve emergency water and diesel reserves to limit the possibility of more load shedding this week.
Eskom’s Jan Oberholzer says that while this is regrettable, it’s necessary.
“For the last two weeks, we had a tight supply, so we actually had to use reserves extensively; that’s water as well as diesel. This is also to now replenish that.”
Oberholzer says that current demand is exceeding capacity, which may continue for a while.
“At this point in time, our forecast remains the same but the system will be constrained up until about April this year.”
Eskom has called on households and businesses to use electricity sparingly during this period.
Only last week, president Ramaphosa announced the unbundling of the troubled ESKOM in his 2019 State Of the Nation Address.