Small business owners are bearing the brunt of the loadshedding schedule gazetted by Eskom which is currently on Stage 4.
Eskom announced the commencement of Stage 6 loadshedding on Monday and had the whole of South Africa in an uproar.
South African president Cyril Ramaphosa even joined in the furore claiming that the anger being expressed by citizens was understandable.
News24 interviewed a number of street vendors and small business owners to find out how they were dealing with the situation.
Most expressed a concern about their safety.
A street vendor from Delft, Ephraim Davids said loadshedding is dangerous because ‘animals’ prey on people and rob public transport users that have an early morning commute.
Fatima who is another street vendor complained that loadshedding will affect their appliances and will also create an upsurge in gangsterism. Loadshedding will lead to more shootings and robberies.
William Davids a small business owner from Ottery said the government was trying to fill a leaking bucket. He said Eskom should be lead by competent people who could bring results.
Davids said he could no longer even watch his favourite soccer team Liverpool play.
A street vendor named Shahidi from Tanzania said he had experienced loadshedding in Tanzania and he believed it was a necessary evil.
Only one electronics vendor was pleased as his business selling power banks was moving briskly. Rafiek sells powerbanks at Golden Acre shopping centre and claims he had not inflated the prices of his powerbanks but instead he kept the price the same.
More: News24