South Africa’s electricity utility, Eskom, has announced that the country will not experience load shedding throughout the coming summer. This means from September 2025 until the end of March 2026, lights are expected to remain on, a sharp contrast to the frequent blackouts that have troubled homes and businesses in recent years.
The declaration follows what Eskom has described as a remarkably stable winter season. According to official data, the grid remained stable for 97% of the time during the cold months, with citizens facing only 26 hours of rotational power cuts. This is a major reduction compared to past winters, where power shortages often stretched for weeks and disrupted key sectors of the economy.
Eskom attributed the recovery to two main factors: a boost in generation capacity and the tireless work of engineers who repaired and stabilised aging plants. The company has added about 4,000 megawatts of power to the grid, creating a new buffer against shortages.
Dan Marokane, Chief Group Executive of Eskom, praised his staff, describing their achievement as a “structural shift” in the performance of the generation fleet. He added that the progress has delivered not only more stable electricity but also huge financial savings. Diesel expenses dropped by R16 billion (about US$851 million) in the last financial year, thanks to reduced reliance on emergency fuel generation.
For many South Africans, the announcement marks a rare moment of optimism. Load shedding has long been a national frustration, crippling industries, affecting small businesses, and even disrupting hospitals and schools. Eskom’s new promise signals that the end of load shedding may finally be “within touching distance,” as Marokane put it.
However, another challenge remains. The Minister of Energy and Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, explained that while load shedding is being brought under control, load reduction continues to trouble many communities. Load reduction is when power is deliberately cut in certain areas due to network overloads or illegal electricity connections.
The Minister said that many residents often confuse load reduction with load shedding, adding to public frustration. He assured citizens that government is finalising a plan to end load reduction and will unveil the strategy within the next two weeks.
Analysts say Eskom’s improved performance, if sustained, could boost South Africa’s struggling economy by restoring investor confidence and cutting costs for businesses. It could also improve the country’s image internationally, as power instability has been one of the biggest obstacles to economic growth in Africa’s most industrialised nation.
Still, some observers remain cautious, warning that Eskom must continue to maintain power plants and diversify its energy sources to avoid slipping back into crisis. The coming months will be the true test of whether South Africa can finally move beyond its long history of rolling blackouts.
For now, though, households and industries alike are welcoming the relief and hoping that the utility will keep its promise to keep the lights on until March 2026.
