Living With Loadshedding

 

While we, as South Africans, are well accustomed to periods of darkness, we still let out a collective sigh every time the lights go out. From scrambling to find torches to lighting candles and wondering how you’ll heat your food, load shedding can be a huge pain. We may not be able to turn the power back for you, but we hope these helpful tips on how to live with load shedding will brighten your day.

Check the schedule

Keep tabs on the latest stages and outages by following the municipal schedules that are updated online. An easy way to check your area is to download the EksomSePush App onto your smartphone or follow municipal and city twitter accounts (i.e. @CityofJoburgZA) for quick updates. Make sure you always know when load shedding is happening – after all, you don’t want to be caught with no battery on your phone.

Get the right gadgets

From power banks that are powerful enough to charge your laptop, to battery-powered routers (great for people who are working from home) and surge protector plugs that will prevent any damage to your electronics when the power comes on, being kitted out with the right gadgets can make your load shedding experience much easier.

Go gas

If you have the option to install a gas oven in your house, this is a great way to circumvent some of the issues caused by load shedding and you’ll still be able to cook your food and boil water. If you can’t get a gas oven installed, look at getting a portable gas stove, like the Alva 2burner Stainless Steel Gas Stove . We also recommend getting some gas heaters for winter to keep the cold at bay when the power goes out.

A light in the darkness

There are plenty of different types of lights you can get for when load shedding strikes. Solar-powered lights are great as they don’t require batteries, but you’ll need to remember to charge them and, while battery-operated lights are great, you just need to make sure that you always have spare batteries on hand. And, if all else fails, you can always fall back on a trusty candle - just make sure it’s far away from anything flammable.

Unplug and unwind

We know this might be an old-fashioned take, but load shedding can also be a time when you use to put your feet up and take a break. Make the most of your time in the dark by reading a book, playing board games with your family or just taking a good old-fashioned nap.

Load shedding is all about preparation – the more you know, the easier it gets!