Categories: News

Essential Products for Surviving Loadshedding in South Africa

Loadshedding has become a significant issue for the citizens of South Africa, with stage 6 blackouts occurring on a daily basis and the fear of even higher stages on the horizon. In this article, we explore eight essential products that can help households better cope with the challenges of loadshedding this winter.

Gas Cookers

Investing in a gas cooker can prove to be a practical and popular solution for South African households. With power outages becoming more frequent, a gas cooker ensures that families can continue to cook meals and boil water, reducing the inconvenience caused by loadshedding.

Newsletter

Stay Informed • Cape Town

Get breaking news, events, and local stories delivered to your inbox daily. All the news that matters in under 5 minutes.

Join 10,000+ readers
No spam, unsubscribe anytime

Stove-Top Kettles and Thermos Flasks

Stove-top kettles offer a reliable source of hot water for that much-needed cup of tea or coffee. Additionally, thermos flasks ensure that liquids stay hot for an extended period, providing greater convenience during power outages.

Power Banks

Portable battery chargers, known as power banks, can be a lifesaver during unexpected loadshedding. These devices ensure that electronic gadgets remain powered and connected even when the electricity goes out, allowing individuals to stay in touch and access essential information during an outage.

Inverters

Inverters convert alternating current (AC) power into direct current (DC) and vice versa, allowing conventional residential electricity sources to charge battery systems and then provide power when needed. This enables households to continue using selected electrical appliances during loadshedding periods.

UPS and Backup Batteries

Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) devices ensure a continuous internet connection and a backup power source for essential devices during loadshedding. Although inverters serve a similar function, UPS systems provide an immediate switchover while inverters can experience time delays.

Rechargeable Lights

Rechargeable lights and battery-operated torches have been a tried and true solution since the beginning of loadshedding. These devices offer reliable illumination during power outages, ensuring households can continue to function in the dark.

Fire Extinguishers

With the increase in loadshedding, there has been a worrying uptick in house fires. Fire extinguishers can be vital in both saving lives and protecting property, allowing residents to quickly extinguish small fires or contain larger blazes until professional assistance arrives.

Backup Generators

A practical solution for extended power outages, backup generators provide electricity to keep essential appliances running and maintain a sense of comfort during loadshedding periods. Despite their higher cost, generators can help significantly mitigate the impact of loadshedding on daily life.

By being prepared for the inevitable power outages, South Africans can maintain a degree of normalcy in their daily routines and weather the ongoing energy crisis. Despite the challenges posed by loadshedding, having these essential products on hand can help make the experience more manageable for households across the country. With the right tools and a proactive approach, South Africans can adapt and persevere through the persistent blackout problem.

Kagiso Petersen

Kagiso Petersen is a Cape Town journalist who reports on the city’s evolving food culture—tracking everything from township braai innovators to Sea Point bistros signed up to the Ocean Wise pledge. Raised in Bo-Kaap and now cycling daily along the Atlantic Seaboard, he brings a palpable love for the city’s layered flavours and even more layered stories to every assignment.

Recent Posts

Dawn, Dirt and Dinner: A Willowvale Kitchen Without Walls

In Willowvale, farmers cleverly plant in manurefilled pits to save water and feed the soil.…

3 hours ago

Cape Town Quietly Rewrites the Rules Between Tradition and the State

Cape Town is cleverly changing how it supports traditional initiation camps. They now treat these…

6 hours ago

South Africa Plays Hardball on Hoof-and-Mouth: A Five-Year Blitz to Reopen R7 Billion in Beef Trade

South Africa is launching a massive fiveyear plan to crush FootandMouth Disease for good. They're…

8 hours ago

South Africa’s Gateways in November 2025: 3,1 Million Footprints in 30 Days

In November 2025, South Africa saw a massive 3.1 million people cross its borders. This…

9 hours ago

Cape Town’s Rupee-Powered Metamorphosis: How a City Rewrote Itself for the Indian Traveller

Cape Town worked hard to charm Indian travelers. They made it easier to fly there,…

15 hours ago

From Bottle to Breakthrough: How Three Cape Town Schools Turned Trash into a Movement

Three Cape Town schools started a cool recycling project called "From Bottle to Breakthrough." They…

17 hours ago