10 hours lost power daily in rolling blackouts is the new norm in South Africa currently. You have to be a genius to make a business profitable under these conditions as they are testing times. Job shedding is the new term for load shedding job losses.
South Africa is facing it's biggest challenge being that of having insufficient electricity forcing a rolling blackout in stages across the entire country. The impact that this is causing is far reaching as this is hampering business along with every day life.
This is not normal yet it is for my grandson who jokes by turning off the lights calling it load shedding. He like many kids know no different as it has been with us for some time. He asks me if we have fuel for the generator like it is an every day thing. Very sad that life without power has become the new norm in this messed up country of ours.
The obvious side effects are businesses having to have a Plan A,B and C and if all else fails the numbers tell you it is time to let some staff go. That is the reality as survival mode kicks into a higher gear or the business just collapses leaving everyone without employment.
Township businesses reported that more that 75% have let employees go as the business does not remain open during the power cuts. I have seen shops in shopping centers close their doors and sit out the power cuts. This is fine for a few hours every other day, but not half your opening hours every day.
The latest news was our large grocery retailer Pick 'n Pay announcing a retrenchment package for middle management. The number reported was 1000 which has now been knocked down to 700 or so, but this is only the beginning.
When your running costs escalate to the proportions they have then something has to give elsewhere. The retailer reported they were spending in excess of $110K per day on diesel to keep the lights and all their appliances on. One can only mark up the food prices so much before you have to look elsewhere.
Milk is a prime example as this has risen from R23 to R36 this year alone. That is over a 50% increase and is in line with all their competitors. Checkers the other big retailer is spending the same amount on diesel daily so they are all in the same predicament.
The added costs have landed in the consumers trolleys as the value of money is being diluted monthly at an alarming rate. We saw shrinkflation taking place two years ago and surely the items cannot reduce in size any more. Sadly the prices we see today will never drop again as these are here to stay.
The job market was already on it's knees from lock downs and Government corruption which stopped much needed revenue flowing back into the market. There is not much positive news around these days as a local saying "vasbyt" which means hold on or fight back won't help in this case.
The country has it's elections in 2024 and just maybe this is exactly what the country is calling out for. Without a government change there is no future and this has become obvious to even those who are die hard government supporters. With a 33% official unemployment rate when we all know it is over 50% and we have not reached rock bottom yet. The next year is going to be a bumpy ride for those who still want to remain. The old joke with those leaving was last one out turn out the lights is rather ironic these days.
Businesses like Pick 'n Pay know if they are going to survive they need to use renewable energy and not be reliant on the grid. This is their plan as this load shedding is going to be around for a few years if not longer.
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its similar where I live although the power problem is not that severe but I notice at home the power goes out for about 1 hour three times a week, at first I thought it was an issue but now I think its planned, then groceries are as high as you mention milk, eggs, bread, elections like on many countries are next year same here but I have no hope there will be changes Im just trying to survive rn, good luck ✌️
It sounds like a nightmare and I am kind of glad that I am in the US. We don't have as many issues as you do in regard to electricity and I think we would also be suffering job shedding if we had those issues. There just isn't any stability to the businesses so nobody knows whether or not it will generate a profit.
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This is what we in some parts of Sweden fear can happen now when we have down graded our electric diversification when we closed nuclear power and replaced it with wind.
The electricity price here have been fluctuated with 1000% during the last year but we seemed to manage this winter without any loadshedding.
Hope the situation will be better for you and your country sooner rather than later
The loadshedding is horrendous. However, if the grid collapses... it will be devastating... and Winter is on the way...
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