25/09/2025
Minister of Electricity and Energy Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has announced a plan to completely eliminate load reduction across the country within the next 12 to 18 months.
Ramokgopa says this follows the successful turnaround on national load shedding, with the energy availability factor consistently holding above 70%, a significant jump from 48% in early 2023. He says Eskom will roll out infrastructure refurbishment and smart meters, at the same time government is reviewing the Free Basic Electricity framework.
Ramokgopa noted the discriminatory nature of load reduction, which he says, is disproportionately concentrated in poor areas, giving the impression that the poor are being penalised.
“We are ending load reduction exceptionally shorter than that,” says Ramokgopa.
In terms of location, Gauteng is the most affected area with 632 158 customers impacted by load reduction. The plan aims to address 145 000 of these by March 2026.
Limpopo and Mpumalanga follow closely behind Gauteng. Load reduction in the Free State, North West, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and Northern Cape, can be eliminated within 8 to 12 months, as these provinces account for a much smaller portion of the problem.
However, Ramokgopa says this will depend on the cooperation of community members during the process.
“We will end load reduction…where it’s going to be difficult,” Ramokgopa explains.
Ramokgopa also says government is reviewing the Free Basic Electricity framework. Currently, only 485 000 of the 2. 1 million eligible Eskom customers receive the free basic electricity benefit.
Asked why there is a low take-up of the benefit considering the economic challenges that households face, Ramokgopa had an explanation.
“Municipalities don’t have a robust [process to] close that gap,” Ramokgopa elaborates.
Ramokgopa says with plans in place for both load shedding and load reduction, the next major challenge will be to tackle the excessively high cost of electricity.
He acknowledged that electricity prices have risen by a 937% since 2007, far outpacing inflation, and promised to return with a plan to resolve the affordability crisis.