load shedding

[SA expat]

To all those South Africans out there I daresay you would have heard about the load shedding that is occuring on a daily basis in SA.  I heard this joke about and it made me laugh.

Before 1994, White's were screaming White power, After 1994 ANC was screaming black power. Now finally, we are all screaming together.....NO POWER

[Old Mike]

Before 1994, White's were screaming White power, After 1994 ANC was screaming black power. Now finally, we are all screaming together.....NO POWER
If has its advantages, I just got this from a friend:
 
 
 
 
The Traffic Cops pulled me off the N1 on my way home from Cape Town last night because my right headlight wasn't working.
I got away with it when I told them that it was load-shedding and it would come on at 22h30.
 

[unwise]

SA Expat can you explain what it means? Have not heard of it before. Thanks!

[k]

 
  Q:What did South Africans before candles?
 
  A: Electricity


 (Used to apply to Filipinos)

[Miss Understood]

I read this and thought you were going on a diet!

[Old Mike]

For 12 years or so the electricity consumption in South Africa has been rising. The evil racists left behind substantial surplus generating capacity. About 6 years ago the virtuous democrats were told by a number of different organisations that the state owned electricity generator needed to start building new power stations or South Africa would run out of power in around 2008.The democrats, unable to see beyond the end of next week, did nothing.
Over the past few weeks the demand for electricity has exceeded the generating capacity. When the demand exceeds the supply the utility simply switches off the power to big parts of the country .
This is called load shedding.

Unfortunately one of the first things to be switched off is the light at the end of the tunnel.

[unwise]

Thanks OM.

[SA expat]

Thanks Old Mike.  BTW, They are saying that it is going to continue for the next 5 years .  Basically it means that everyone is without electricity for a few hours every day sometimes less but more often than not sometimes even more.  It affects traffic (traffic lights), businesses (scuse spelling), restaurants, mines have stopped operating, security i.e. electric fencing, electric gates, and normal household things etc etc etc.  For those living through it it is a nightmare.  The joke was sent to me by a South African, it is the SA way to make a joke of things - that and their ability to always 'make a plan' lol

[Old Mike]

My wife is in SA at the moment. Last Sunday she went to Macro. Everybody was buying generators. Then to a hardware shop. Everybody, including her, was buying emergency lights.
We are presently having our kitchen remodelled, and installing a gas stove.Scary stuff.
Fortunately there is a government funded project to develop luminous footballs by 2010.

[KKKK]

I remember talking to a South African saying that security was the business to be in.  Now it looks like it's fitting gas stoves.