South Africa is progressing towards ending electricity load reduction by March 2027, according to Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. The minister highlighted a significant decrease in the number of customers affected by load reduction, from approximately 1.4 million to 247,617. However, the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng remain the primary regions where these measures are still necessary.
The government, in collaboration with Eskom and local municipalities, is undertaking various initiatives to address the issue. These include network upgrades, the installation of smart meters, measures against illegal connections, and broadening access to free basic electricity. Load reduction, distinct from the national strategy of load shedding, is employed to prevent local electricity networks from becoming overloaded.
Additionally, Ramokgopa mentioned that a government review of the electricity pricing system is in progress and is anticipated to be completed by January 2027. This review will consider proposals for providing free basic electricity to eligible households, with potential support ranging between 200kWh and 300kWh.