Will loadshedding affect my trip to South Africa?

Game lodges and safari camps are among the best-prepared businesses. Many have been built with solar power from the start, due to their remote location. And solar has become the go-to solution in sunny South Africa. Almost all lodges have backup solar power in place. In some cases where generators are used, to avoid noise complaints they won't run the generator at night if the power goes off during the night. But overall, most guests are not even aware of loadshedding.

What can a tourist do to be prepared?

The obvious thing we now do whenever we travel somewhere is take a handy LED flashlight (called a torch here in South Africa) with spare batteries, to keep with you at all times, and next to your bed at night. It's also useful to bring a powerbank so you can charge your phone, not only during loadshedding but during long hours on the road or in the plane. Always have some cash available in case a credit card machine does not work during loadshedding (although this is seldom a problem as most shops and restaurants have backup power). ATMs may also not work during loadshedding. While driving, treat a non-working traffic light (we call traffic lights robots in South Africa) as a 4-way stop. First at the line has the right of way.

The biggest inconvenience is usually experienced at small guesthouses and B&Bs that have not invested in solar power or a backup generator. At one small guesthouse I visited in 2022, I didn't realise they had no backup power. I was standing in the shower one evening, covered in soap and shampoo, when suddenly the lights went out and the water stopped abruptly. It turned out their water pump also ran on electricity, so during loadshedding there was no light and no water. I had to feel my way through the darkness to find a towel and dry off the soap and shampoo. Afterwards, the owner told me he simply didn't have the money to invest in backup power. Needless to say, we avoid sending international guests to this guesthouse.