Hello all!
In my last post, I discussed the impact load shedding has on LaWindpomp and the restaurant business. On my second visit to LaWindpomp, I was introduced to Ms. Pienaar. Pienaar is the owner and operator of ZL Leatherworx, a small business in the African Bushveld.
ZL Leatherworx creates a wide range of products: rifle bags, furniture upholstery, vehicle upholstery, handbags, and pretty much anything crafted out of animal hides or leather. You can check them out here: https://www.zl-leatherworx.com/
Her products are crafted by hand but require the help of various power tools and additional staff. Unlike LaWindpomp, the ZL Leatherworx workshop does not have a generator. This means that when the power is out, it is OUT. Zilch, nada, nothing.
I can’t operate at all during load shedding. My sewing machines, foam cutter, air compressor, spray gun and glue gun… all run on electricity,” explains Pienaar.
This puts more stress on her shoulders because she is still working to meet deadlines and fulfill orders.
My staff must still be paid during the outages but since they cannot do any work until the power is back on, I have to pay overtime to get the job done,” says Pienaar.
Back in my home state of Louisiana, it’s impossible to forecast the weather. We can experience all four seasons within the same week. In South Africa, it’s impossible to forecast your business hours for the upcoming week.
Business owners can plan the next day around the stage one load shedding schedule but can wake up the next morning to a notification from Eskom saying they’ve implemented stage three load shedding.
Pienaar says that she is looking into purchasing a generator as her business expands. For now, she will continue to check the load shedding status and plan tomorrow to the best of her abilities.
Hi Gen Z Gal,
I just wanted to let you know that your articles are intriguing and show a different view point from our access to regular power sources that Americans are used to and take for granted. Thank you for enlightening millennials and generation Zs on the energy crises a region of the world faces so that we can stand with South Africa and be a global voice for Afrikaans as their government and public utility company hopefully find electricity solutions for their people.
Hi there! I’m pleased to hear that you enjoyed my articles about South Africa’s energy crisis. Thank you for reading and stay in touch for future reading! 🙂
Since government doesn’t want to get the project completed, at a minimum they can develop a better load-shedding strategy that doesn’t influence business operations as much. For one it could start with communication and transparency. But as we know that’s not just a government issue in South Africa!