Question 1

What is the Gauteng load reduction schedule for this week?

Accepted Answer

This week (July 2026), Eskom is implementing load reduction across 0+ Gauteng areas. Power is cut daily from 05:00-09:00 and 17:00-22:00 on a rotating block schedule.

Question 2

What time is load reduction in Gauteng?

Accepted Answer

Load reduction in Gauteng is scheduled daily during two peak windows: 05:00 to 09:00 (morning) and 17:00 to 22:00 (evening). Outages last 4-5 hours depending on your area and block rotation.

Question 3

What is the difference between load shedding and load reduction?

Accepted Answer

Load shedding is a national response to insufficient generation capacity, affecting the whole country on a stage-based schedule. Load reduction is localised - it targets specific areas where electricity infrastructure is overloaded due to illegal connections, theft, or ageing equipment.

Question 4

Why does my area keep getting load reduction?

Accepted Answer

Areas are targeted for load reduction because local electricity networks are overloaded. Common causes include illegal connections, electricity theft, high-density informal settlements, and ageing transformers.

Question 5

How long does load reduction last?

Accepted Answer

Each load reduction session lasts 4-5 hours. Morning sessions run from 05:00 to 09:00 and evening sessions from 17:00 to 22:00.

Question 6

Is load reduction the same every week?

Accepted Answer

No. Eskom rotates the schedule across different blocks (A through J). This means the specific days your area is affected change from week to week, though the time windows remain the same.