A wave of posts has claimed that Eskom has ordered 14 hours of daily load shedding across all provinces. That headline is alarming, but there is a problem: Eskom has publicly rejected this claim as false. In late May and again on 1 October 2025, Eskom stated on its official channels that there is no blanket 14-hour national schedule and warned the public to ignore fabricated timetables doing the rounds online. Independent outlets also debunked the Rumohr. South Africans should instead rely on Eskom’s stage-based system and official schedule tools.
This article rewrites the original piece with verified information: what Eskom has actually said, how load shedding is declared in stages rather than fixed national hours, how to check real-time schedules for your area, and what to do at home or work to cope when higher stages are in force.
Blackouts Are Back? Quick Summary
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Is there a 14-hour national blackout order? | No. Eskom has categorically rejected the 14-hour claim as false. |
| How load shedding works | Declared as stages (1–8) depending on generation shortfall; local schedules follow the announced stage. |
| Where to check your schedule | Eskom’s load shedding portal and your municipality or distribution utility’s schedule page. |
| Can long outages still occur? | Yes, during high stages or repeated slots in a day, but there is no national 14-hour template. Use official tools for your address. |
| Official links | Eskom load shedding portal; Eskom X/Facebook accounts for stage notices and alerts. |
What Eskom Actually Said
When the 14-hour narrative resurfaced in winter and again in October 2025, Eskom posted formal denials, calling the stories untrue and urging South Africans to consult official channels for verified notices. Reputable newsrooms also ran debunkers explaining that the 14-hour headline originated from fabricated or low-credibility sites. If you see a timetable without an Eskom notice, be sceptical.
Eskom’s load-management still uses the familiar stage framework. The utility announces a stage (for example, Stage 2, 4, 6), sometimes at short notice, and schedules in each supply area rotate accordingly. There is no permanent, countrywide instruction that forces every household to be off for 14 hours daily.
How Load Shedding Really Works: Stages, Slots and Local Schedules
- Stages, not fixed daily hours. Eskom declares the stage based on the day’s supply-demand balance and plant breakdowns. Your local outages depend on that stage and your area block in the published schedule.
- Rotating blocks. Your suburb appears in one or more time slots per day. At higher stages, more slots are allocated and gaps between slots can shorten, which can feel like “most of the day” without power, but it is not a universal 14-hour decree.
- Official schedule tools. Use Eskom’s load shedding portal to see current stage and planned windows for your area. Many municipalities mirror Eskom’s announcements and publish their own PDFs or look-up tools.
Tip: If a viral image shows a “national 14-hour plan” but does not link to Eskom’s portal or your municipality’s schedule page, treat it as unverified.
Why Rumours Catch Fire in Winter
Winter demand rises as households use heating and geysers more intensively. Outages at large coal units can push stages higher for short periods, and social media fills the gaps with dramatic but inaccurate claims. While stage escalations certainly disrupt homes and businesses, Eskom’s own messages remain the authoritative source on the nature and duration of cuts on any given day.
What To Do Right Now
- Bookmark the official tools.
- Eskom load shedding schedules and status updates.
- Eskom’s X/Facebook for stage notices and clarifications.
- Translate the stage into a plan. Read your block’s schedule for the current stage and create a daily checklist for cooking, charging, and bathing around the slots.
- Protect essentials. Use surge protection, keep devices and power banks charged, and consider small UPS units for routers or medical equipment where appropriate.
- Reduce peak demand. Geyser timers, efficient heaters, and avoiding simultaneous high-load appliances lower stress on the grid and can reduce stage severity system-wide.
- Business continuity. For shops and clinics, confirm generator fuel, maintain ventilation when running backup power, and test failover procedures regularly.
What If the Stage Goes Higher?
During extreme constraints, Eskom may announce higher stages with more frequent or longer slots. That can produce long cumulative hours without power in a single day for some blocks but again, it is driven by the declared stage and your local rotation, not a fixed 14-hour national rule. Always verify the current stage and refresh your area’s schedule before planning the day.
FAQs
1) Is Eskom enforcing 14 hours of load shedding every day across all provinces?
No. Eskom has categorically rejected this rumour on its official channels. Check the current stage and your area schedule on Eskom’s portal.
2) Why do I sometimes experience very long outages in one day?
At higher stages your block can be scheduled multiple times. The total time can feel like most of the day, but it is a function of the declared stage and rotation, not a universal 14-hour directive.
3) Where can I find a reliable timetable for my suburb?
Use Eskom’s load shedding portal or your municipality’s official schedule page. Avoid third-party spreadsheets or images without an Eskom link.
4) What are the typical load-shedding stages?
Eskom uses staged load reduction (commonly Stage 1–8). The higher the stage, the more frequent and longer the scheduled slots become. Eskom’s site explains how timetables apply once a stage is declared.
5) How can I prepare for winter load shedding?
Plan around your slots, keep essentials charged, consider small backup options, and manage high-load appliances. Follow Eskom’s official notices for any sudden stage changes.
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