JOHANNESBURG — Christmas lights twinkle, festive music plays, and Johannesburg’s popular Rosebank Mall is bustling with shoppers.
Then the lights go out. The stores are completely dark. “Put your wallets away,” a customer yells between rueful laughs.
A long minute later the distant hum of a generator is heard. The lights and music come back on and the clerks resume recording purchases.
South African Christmas 2022 is a matter of beginning and end, with power outages across the country affecting almost every aspect of the holiday. Businesses and families are dealing with continuous power outages totaling seven to 10 hours per day.
The rattle of diesel generators can be heard in shops and restaurants, from fancy areas to townships. Customers know that they have to walk around them a lot to avoid harmful fumes.
The festive calendar of celebrations with family and friends is now a detailed dance around the daily schedule of power outages. Holiday cooking and video streaming are planned for when power is available.
Most South African homes now have a ready supply of solar lights, kerosene lamps and candles to avoid being in total darkness.
South Africa’s utility, Eskom, has struggled to meet electricity demand in the continent’s most industrialized economy for more than 10 years, but the problem has become more acute this year. One major problem is that the power company relies on a number of older coal-fired power plants that experience frequent failures. Adding to the problems is the shortage of qualified technicians and corruption.
Eskom said this week it was forced to enforce its highest level of power cuts yet, Stage 6, over the holiday period due to failures in eight generating units. This is particularly surprising as there is reduced demand for electricity over the Christmas and New Year period, as many factories and mines close for the holidays.
The failure of the power company to provide adequate electricity has held back economic growth for years. Amid worsening power outages, the Eskom boss announced his resignation this month. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s failure to solve the country’s energy problems was among the sharpest criticisms of him last week at the national conference of his ruling African National Congress party.
At the busy Sandton City shopping center in Johannesburg, many shoppers looked at the time so they could get home in time to cook while still having power.
“We have to look at the schedule…and then we can do all the cooking. Or we use a gas stove. And we can put the table outside, light the candles and it’s going to be beautiful,” said an optimistic Molalo Mishapo.
Natasha Singh, visiting Johannesburg from Durban, said she is lucky not to feel the effects of the power cuts because the hotel where she is staying is equipped with generators.
“So we didn’t feel very sorry at the hotel, thankfully for that,” he said. “But we… turn off and on about three or four times a day. That’s a bit hectic.
Although 2022 has been a challenging year due to rising prices and continued power outages, it is important for people to celebrate being healthy after living through the COVID-19 pandemic, said Cindy Naidoo.
“Coming from COVID … it’s a blessing, I think, just to be happy and healthy,” he said. “Forget the lights and just live.”
