Load-shedding: what to do now and how to prepare

Power cuts are part of daily life in many parts of Africa. If you’re fed up with sudden outages, this tag page collects useful updates and practical tips to help you cope right away. Here you’ll find how to check schedules, protect your devices, and choose the best backup for your home, school or small business.

Quick actions during an outage

When the lights go off, act fast to avoid damage and keep everyone safe. First, unplug sensitive electronics like TVs and computers to avoid a power surge when electricity returns. Keep one phone charged and a power bank ready. Use LED torches or headlamps instead of candles to reduce fire risk. If you rely on medical devices, move to a plan B — a backup battery or nearby facility with power.

Check your local load-shedding schedule online or through utility apps and social media. Many utilities publish rotating stages and maps; community WhatsApp groups or Twitter feeds often post real-time updates. Knowing the stage helps you plan cooking, study time, and work calls around power windows.

Short-term fixes that actually help

Small changes make outages less painful. Set your fridge to the coldest safe setting before an expected cut and avoid opening it during the outage. Freeze water bottles to keep food cool longer. Use a gas or charcoal stove where safe and legal, or an efficient camping stove for short-term cooking. Buy a 12V car charger or a small UPS for your router and modem so internet stays up during short outages.

For students: plan homework and online classes during known powered hours. Teachers and schools can rotate practical lessons to match predictable schedules and use printed work as backup for long outages. Libraries and community centers with backup power can be lifesavers for study time.

Businesses should prioritize critical systems. Invest in an affordable UPS for point-of-sale, routers and servers. Stagger staff shifts to match power windows and use manual backups for essential records. Small factories can consult a technician to split loads so essential machines run longer on limited backup fuel.

Longer-term solutions pay off. Solar panels with battery storage cut reliance on the grid, especially for homes and small businesses. A properly sized inverter and batteries can keep lights, a fridge and devices running through several hours of outage. Generators are cheaper to start with but need fuel and regular maintenance; choose a model sized for your critical loads.

Stay safe and speak up. Avoid using open flames indoors, and never run petrol generators in enclosed spaces. Report frequent or unexplained outages to your utility and local representatives. Community groups can push for better grid maintenance, new connections, or local microgrid projects.

This tag page gathers the latest news, guides and local reports on load-shedding across Africa. Bookmark it, check schedules before planning key activities, and pick one practical upgrade this month — a power bank, a UPS for your router, or a basic solar light. Small steps make outages easier to handle.