Load shedding » gen*z*gal

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.

Hello all!

In my last post, I overviewed South Africa’s electricity crisis. Now, it’s time that we talk about the impact load shedding has on local businesses.

During my stay in the Limpopo province, I visited Marken’s only restaurant/pub, LaWindpomp. The rugged landscape and interior of this establishment screams of authentic Afrikaans culture. Let’s just say I stuck out like a sore thumb in my Nike shorts and Adidas Superstars.

In the main dining area, you’ll find animal hides and locally-crafted furniture available for purchase. On the menu, you’ll find traditional dishes such as the spicy minced meat known as bobotie and South Africa’s “Boerewors” sausage. Naturally, I ordered a Hawaiian pizza.

While dining at LaWindpomp I had the opportunity to meet one of the owners, Pierre.

As an American new to “load shedding”, I had a few questions about how his business operates around the scheduled blackouts.

“Really there is nothing we can do. We have the generator but can only operate at 50 percent capacity,” says Pierre.

LaWindpomp loses business during load shedding because they cannot offer the full menu or take credit card payments, which opens the “menu” to locals wanting to drink, eat and be merry on a tab. A logistical nightmare!

“The kitchen cook steaks with the gas grill but cannot offer pizza, fries, onion rings or anything else,” explains Pierre.

This means that a customer’s options are limited to steak and salad during blackouts. Oh, and the full bar.

Basically, the generator is there to keep the lights and fans running. The Wi-Fi works during load shedding but card payments cannot be accepted because service provider towers are down during this time. This means turning away customers without cash or those not willing to stay and wait it out for the full menu.

I decided to swing by LaWindpomp again but this time during stage four load shedding. I figured there was nothing else to do during the blackout, so why not grab a glass of wine and experience the local vibe?

T-minus 30 minutes until load shedding hits! The following sign was posted at the entrance to remind customers of the limited menu and payment options.

We were only in the dark for about two minutes before the generator kicked on. After my first glass of wine, I’d completely forgotten that the full menu wasn’t available and I was craving another Hawaiian pizza. Oh, the load shedding struggle.

During my hangout at LaWindpomp that evening, I was introduced to Ms. Pienaar, a small business owner. Her at-home leatherworks business takes a harder hit than LaWindpomp.

Check out my next post to hear what Ms. Pienaar has to say!

Load Shedding and Local Businesses: ZL Leatherworx

Load Shedding and Local Businesses: LaWindpomp