South Africans living in the dark turned to social media this week to share their survival tips, as well as their nightmare visions of intensified stages of loadshedding.
South Africa has entered its seventh consecutive day of stage 4 loadshedding on Wednesday, with up to 20% of the country left without electricity at a time.
Eskom confirmed on Tuesday that loadshedding stages 5 to 8 are on the cards as a “contingency measure” to avoid a national blackout.
What additional load shedding stages will look like
Stage 10 loadshedding is when Eskom comes in and even takes your Sunlight soap.
— Lester Kiewit (@lesterkk) March 19, 2019
It has now been reported that during stage 5 and stage 6 loadshedding Eskom is switching off car batteries too. pic.twitter.com/3Sv6Ui2eLh
— KazeKaze (@SBuddha_Kaze) March 19, 2019
#Loadshedding stage 12: Eskom takes your Castle Lite and gives you a Savana Dark#LoadsheddingSurvivalTips pic.twitter.com/RWOHyGmBBS
— Damzo (@10Damzo) March 19, 2019
Stage 6 #LoadsheddingSurvivalTips pic.twitter.com/ZHprc6svVi
— Smiley ?? (@theofelas_d) March 19, 2019
Stage 7 load shedding Eskom comes to your church and takes that little light of yours you were gonna let shine.
— Beast Boy (@Bryaan_A1) March 19, 2019
Load shedding stage 104 is when Eskom arranges to meet you, get to know you, make you fall in love with them and then break your heart to put out the light within your soul
— Anjali. (@Anjalaaay) March 19, 2019
#Loadshedding stage 5 and stage 6 loadshedding ?? pic.twitter.com/yl9NDnp4S6
— ShyDollarSign (@nexus_gene) March 19, 2019
Stage 22 load shedding:
— Koshiek Karan (@iamkoshiek) March 20, 2019
Derek Watts is arrested because his surname promotes electricity.
Stage 25 loadshedding :
— Muhammad (@mmotala24) March 19, 2019
Eskom only allows dark humor .
Stage 100 Loadshedding: Eskom comes to your house and permanently glues your eyelids shut so you never see the light again.
— Hawa Chenia (@Hawa_Chenia) March 18, 2019
Here are some of the loadshedding survival tips on offer:
Buy "prepaid electricity"
Ready for stage 5 and stage 6.
— Hussein The Second (@omar_hh17) March 19, 2019
Covered bring it on Eskom. Makunyiwe once #loadshedding pic.twitter.com/RaLqUwYAtc
Take the Birdbox challenge
#LoadsheddingSurvivalTipsStart practicing NOW!!! pic.twitter.com/wZSn0G7Gt6
— ElephantInTheRoom (@NE_MBELE) March 19, 2019
Use a cellphone light in the toilet
As we go into Stage 5 and Stage 6 #Loadshedding I have created this sign for the toilet at work, feel free to use it at your office, #thankMeLater #LoadsheddingSurvivalTips pic.twitter.com/7DKAx5Gdde
— Carl Bartlett (@cjbatz) March 19, 2019
Bring flash lights to work
We are now encouraged to bring our own flashlights to court.#lawyerLife #lawyerproblems #LoadsheddingSurvivalTips #loadshedding pic.twitter.com/SW5V4pn0u3
— Leanomander Rake (@LeanomanderRake) March 20, 2019
Have boiling water ready
If you haven’t got the kettle full and boiled, ready for loadshedding, then are you even really a South African?#Eskom
— Thaabit (@ThaabitManan) March 20, 2019
Charge your cellphone wherever possible
Current situation at Protea Glen. #LoadsheddingSurvivalTips pic.twitter.com/DNWzkhK20D
— XICHAVO SUCCESS (@XS_XAVI_) March 19, 2019
Preventative ironing
Iron clothes you will wear the whole week to work instead of ironing every morning#LoadsheddingSurvivalTips
— Nwa-Mugwena Accomplish (@senziey) March 19, 2019
Try to make the best of the situation
Only in South Africa our land ??????????????.#Loadshedding #LoadsheddingSurvivalTips pic.twitter.com/FMyMa4UAHP
— Tshepiso Tshabalala (@Tshepi_Mshengu) March 19, 2019
a sext: pic.twitter.com/UhXGJQkEAR
— Rabi G ?? (@rabiaghoor) March 19, 2019
See it as a business opportunity
Tinder but instead of swiping for a date you swipe in the hope of meeting someone who has electricity.
— Jarrod Delport (@Jarrod_Delport) March 19, 2019
#LoadsheddingSurvivalTips
Hi I'm Shen Scott and I'm a photographer. I took some portraits during the loadshedding.Please RT my next client could be on your timeline. pic.twitter.com/iBxB3fljQS
— We take care of our community. (@Shen_Scott) March 19, 2019
And if all else fails, try magic.
Wash your municipality electricity box with #woolieswater, it will change into a generator and you won't have to worry about load-shedding #LoadsheddingSurvivalTips pic.twitter.com/LnIpS69b8b
— Qasim Osman (@qasim0804) March 19, 2019
For more, go to Business Insider South Africa.
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