“Regretfully Stage 4 load shedding will be implemented from 14h00 on Friday until 05h00 on Saturday. Thereafter Stage 2 load shedding will continue until 05h00 on Monday,” it said.

The power utility said that power outages shut down of its three generating units at Kendal power station, the trip of a unit each at Tutka and Matimba power stations, and the delayed return of units at Majuba and Lethabo.

“Stage 4 load shedding is necessary to stop the use of OCGT (open-cycle gas turbine) generators in order to preserve the remaining fuel at these power stations, which is critically low.

” There is insufficient diesel available in the country to continue generating with the OCGTs at the current rate. It is anticipated that some generating units will return to service alter today and overnight allowing a reduction to stage 2 load shedding for the remainder of the weekend.”

Eskom has warned in a summer load shedding forecast for 2021/2022, that its system is likely to remain severely constrained for the near future.

For people living in the major metros, load shedding schedules are available here:

• City of Johannesburg
• City of Ekurhuleni 
• City of Tshwane 
• City of Cape Town (PDF)
• Nelson Mandela Bay
• eThekwini
• Manguang
• Buffalo City

For access to other load shedding schedules, Eskom has made them available on loadshedding.eskom.co.za.

Smartphone users can also download the app EskomSePush to receive push notifications when load shedding is implemented, as well as the times the area you are in will be off.