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Just when we thought we were out of the dark, we may be plunged back into it. Public enterprise Eskom has announced that Capetonians must be prepared for load shedding between 4pm and 11pm today.

“Eskom regrets that Stage 2 load shedding will be implemented from 4pm to 11pm today due to a shortage of capacity,” the power utility said via its official Twitter account.

Here are some things to do to make sitting in the dark a little bit more comfortable:

Look for alternative lighting: 

There are all sorts of alternative forms of lighting available on the market, from solar-power console jars and wind-up torches, to more innovative options such as rechargeable lightbulbs.

Be sure to charge any solar-powered lighting mechanisms before an evening power-outage. Stock up on candles, lighters or matches, torches and/or alternative lighting methods.

Draw cash while the power is still on: 

Make sure that you have some cash on you when visiting the nearest store during load shedding as ATM machines do not operate during power cuts.

Avoid nuisance tripping:

Nuisance tripping occurs when load shedding ends in an area but the electricity fails to come back on. This can be avoided by switching off all electrical appliances prior to load shedding.

Invest in a generator: 

Although costly and noisy, generators ensure that you have an alternative source of electricity during power-outages. This can be useful for those who work from home or for small businesses.

Generators can cost anything from R2 500 upwards and can be scaled to supply electricity to just a few appliances or to a whole household.

Click here to access the load shedding schedule for Cape Town.

ALSO READ: Where to eat out during load shedding

Picture: Pixabay

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Lucinda is a hard news writer who occasionally dabbles in lifestyle writing, and recent journalism graduate. She is a proud intersectional feminist, and is passionate about actively creating a world which is free of discrimination and inequality.