ANC to unveil plan to end load reduction in next 18 months

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) is set to unveil a plan that is said to end load reduction in the next 18 months.

Load reduction is when municipalities cut off electricity to areas where there is excessive usage, largely due to illegal connections.

It's slightly different from load shedding, which happens on a national scale and is implemented by Eskom to ease pressure on the country's electricity grid.

Thousands of ANC councillors from across the country are currently gathered at the FNB Stadium to receive a service delivery action plan from the party's national leadership.

READ: ANC promises 'intervention' in some underperforming municipalities

ANC national executive member and also the electricity minister, Kgosientsho Ramakopa, said that resolving the energy issue would also assist councillors who have to deal with angry community members regularly.

"The intention is that in no more than 18 months we should have ended load reduction. I am confident we can do it much, much earlier if we can get cooperation from communities. We are going to a space and ensure we roll out smart meters and ensure we don't penalise those who are paying. The situation we are having now is that people are connected to the same transformer, I am paying and my neighbour is not paying, yet we are subjected to load reduction. That comes to an end."