News analysis
- Nine months ago we trawled Twitter for load-shedding jokes, and found some good ones, even if they tended towards the darkly bitter.
- With Eskom moving back into stage 4 blackouts on Monday, though, the national mood seems a lot more bleak this time around.
- We found many very, very angry people – but not many people in a joking mood.
- For more stories go to www.BusinessInsider.co.za.
South Africa is no longer amused.
In March this year, as Eskom implemented rotational blackouts for lack of generating capacity, we rounded up some of the funniest reactions to load shedding on Twitter – and found plenty to chuckle at, even if the humour was somewhat black.But when we tried to repeat that same exercise this week, we came up short.
Where Twitter users did react to load shedding with something approaching humour, it was with very clear underlying frustration...
— ?? (@Gr8_White04) December 8, 2019
... but even that was rare. More common were very blunt expressions of anger..
— Dave_Aviate? (@Dave_Aviate) December 8, 2019
in various different flavours...
— George (@Sjiejo) December 8, 2019
... and variations.
Just move to stage 50 already Sikhathele we are tired roneta #eskom #Loadshedding pic.twitter.com/wG4MVpXIVS
— lancelot mthobisi (@lmmfuphi) December 9, 2019
That feeling when you're paying your electricity bill in the dark #Loadshedding pic.twitter.com/x92XUwRcdY
— Sydney Butler (@GendoWasRight) December 9, 2019
An attempt by President Cyril Ramaphosa to address the issue on Monday morning did not find fertile ground.
When I visited #Medupi power station for the first time two weeks ago, I was struck by how massive it is. It is one thing to be told in a briefing that, when completed, Medupi will be the fourth largest power stations of its kind in the world. https://t.co/bjq7hpTNO7 pic.twitter.com/bupuy34lWq
— Cyril Ramaphosa ???? (@CyrilRamaphosa) December 9, 2019
(Compiled by Phillip de Wet)
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