Load-shedding will be reduced to Stage 4 at 05:00 on Saturday morning, Eskom announced on Friday. A further reduction to Stage 3 will be implemented from 05:00 on Sunday until 05:00 on Monday. This after Stage 5 load-shedding had been implemented since Monday. 

"The capacity constraints will persist throughout next week, and current indications are that load-shedding will be implemented at Stage 3 for most of the week," Eskom said in a statement. A further update will be published on Sunday afternoon, or as soon as there are any significant changes, the power utility said.

"The load-shedding over the weekend will be used to replenish the pumped storage dam levels, which have been utilised extensively over the past week."

Eskom said it was currently experiencing constraints from its diesel suppliers that were affecting the availability of bulk diesel to the Ankerlig and Gourikwa open-cycle gas turbines, which have a combined capacity of 2 000MW.

"Should this uncertainty of diesel supplies persist, higher stages of load-shedding may be required," it added. 

Since Thursday, a generation unit each at Camden, Kriel, Majuba and Matla power stations were taken offline for repairs. A generating unit at Hendrina and two at Kusile power stations were returned to service, Eskom said. 

"Eskom apologises for the continued and unfortunate load-shedding, which is implemented only as a last resort in view of the shortage of generation capacity and the need to attend to breakdowns.

"While some generation units are anticipated to return to service, it is necessary to continue the load-shedding to limit the usage of the emergency generation reserves."

Eskom currently has 5 839MW on planned maintenance, while another 15 745MW of capacity is unavailable due to breakdowns.