SONA: Ramokgopa commits to ending load reduction by October 2026

By Marcus Moloko

Minister of Electricity and Energy, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has pledged to fully resolve load-reduction issues affecting parts of South Africa by the end of October 2026.

Speaking before President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address, Ramokgopa reaffirmed government’s goal to ensure equitable access to electricity across all communities.

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He explained that the phased approach to eliminating load reduction was already underway.

“We said last year we’ll end it in October. It will take us 12 to 18 months. I’m confident, in fact, by end of this year we will have resolved all the load reduction in Western Cape. The Northern Cape and the North West will be done by March, and the rest of the country by the end of October,” he stated.

He highlighted progress in areas such as