City Power warns that it will have to apply load shedding daily in certain parts of Johannesburg if residents do not reduce their power consumption.
The city’s power grid is increasingly under pressure due to illegal connections, says City Power a statement.
The power provider has identified areas in the city where power consumption is increasing sharply as the cold winter season begins.
Demand for more electricity in those areas is partly because there are so many illegal connections, says City Power. If residents do not reduce the demand for power here, City Power will be forced to apply load shedding there daily between 16:00 and 22:00 on a rotating basis.
Seven regions have been identified where load shedding may be applied. These include parts of Commercia in Midrand, Groblers Park in Roodepoort, Crosby near Brixton, east Orlando, Klipspruit, Alexandra, Booysens near Gold Reef City, Ennerdale and southern Lenasia.
The areas earmarked are mainly informal settlements distributed throughout the city, but City Power warns that illegal connections are not limited to those settlements. There is also an increase in illegal connections in suburbs.