SAHRC Launches Inquiry into Load Reduction and its Impact on Communities

Posted on February 3, 2025
by Yashmika Dukaran


The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has launched a three-day inquiry into the growing issue of load reduction, which it claims is disproportionately affecting certain communities. The hearings, which begin on Monday, aim to examine the legal, policy, and practical justifications behind Eskom’s power cuts, as well as identify the demographics most impacted by these electricity blackouts.

Commissioner Tshepo Madlingozi, chairing the inquiry, emphasized the distinction between load shedding and load reduction. "Load shedding is rotational, applied evenly across all communities to protect the grid, whereas load reduction is targeted," he explained. Madlingozi further noted that while load shedding had been temporarily alleviated, load reduction is a relatively new phenomenon. Numerous communities have raised concerns, alleging they feel unfairly targeted and demanding a clearer policy justification for the practice.