South Africans are facing the looming threat of stage 2 load shedding after Eskom issued an urgent alert on Monday about potential rolling blackouts. The power utility cited the sudden breakdown of six generation units as the cause of severe strain on the national grid.

Daphne Mokwena, Eskom’s spokesperson, addressed the crisis in a media briefing, stating, “Over the past 12 hours, six generation units went offline, forcing us to tap into emergency reserves.” She warned that losing an additional 800 megawatts could push Eskom to implement stage 2 load shedding on short notice.

Efforts are underway to mitigate the situation, with Mokwena adding, “We’re working to restore seven generation units between tonight’s peak and Tuesday evening.” Despite this, the utility remains on high alert, with teams monitoring supply and demand closely. Updates are expected by 10 p.m. Monday or sooner if conditions worsen.

The alert follows a turbulent period for South Africa’s energy sector, marked by frequent power shortages. Just last week, Eskom implemented load shedding after losing five generation units, disrupting peak-hour supply for 10.5 hours overnight. This was the fourth such incident in 2025, underscoring the ongoing energy crisis.

Energy expert Professor Vally Padayachee, a former Eskom generation executive, noted that while the utility had shown progress in recovery efforts, recent setbacks have exposed vulnerabilities. “The loss of five units last Wednesday, followed by six more now, highlights the fragility of the system,” he said.

Eskom’s official X post echoed the urgency:
“#POWERALERT1: Eskom warns of high risk of loadshedding due to six generation units taken offline over the past twelve hours.” (pic.twitter.com/AOwH2oVq8o — @Eskom_SA)

As South Africans await further updates, the threat of blackouts serves as a stark reminder of the nation’s persistent power challenges.