Cape Town - As South Africans were struck a heavy blow on Sunday with Stage 6 blackouts announced, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde held an urgent cabinet meeting to update it about the province’s contigency plan in event of severe load shedding.
Winde said the Western Cape Government (WCG) was prepared on all fronts should load shedding at this level continue.
“Although it is unlikely at this stage, our plans are continuously being updated and are intact should the situation worsen,” Winde said.
He has assured residents of the province that with the support of the Disaster Management team and the provincial government had a contingency plan in place.
Winde said the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) had been planning for all scenarios for years.
“Having been briefed by PDMC officials I feel confident that the Western Cape is prepared. We are also working with national government departments to ameliorate the risks that come with power cuts,” he said.
Winde told the cabinet it was the provincial government that should lead from the front in saving electricity.
“Apart from having a good plan in place, all of us in the Western Cape need to intensify energy reduction measures, now, to contribute to reduced pressure on the grid,” he said.
Winde urged residents to use electricity sparingly and offered basic energy saving tips:
* Switch off all appliances at the wall and pull out charges - this could save 6% on electricity costs.
* Decrease the geyser temperature to 60 degrees celsius - this can save 5% on electricity costs.
* Fit geysers with geyser blankets to prevent heat loss.
* Replace lightbulbs with energy saving bulbs.
* Set pool pumps to run for fewer hours.
“While the energy crisis generally places us all under strain, I am hopeful that we will get through this with the same fortitude that we, as a collective, got through Covid-19,” Winde said.
He said he had also tasked various teams to look into medium-term solutions to bolster energy security even further.
“The WCG is doing everything in its power - from short to medium to long-term interventions, to find solutions to this crisis,” Winde said.
This includes looking at ways the WCG can enable businesses and residents to procure additional power.
“We will help Eskom wherever we can. We must support the power utility,” Winde said.
The premier said he remained in contact with Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter to stay abreast of the situation.