Policy Brief No.8 | September 2025
By: Leon Tinashe Gwaka
South Africa’s loadshedding1 crisis is not a standalone technical issue, it is part of a broader polycrisis, where governance failures, economic instability, and social inequality intersect. While official narratives often emphasize technical and/or external causes, public discourse, especially on social media, reveals widespread distrust in government institutions and Eskom’s leadership.
This policy brief draws on a qualitative analysis of X posts (formerly Twitter) posts to highlight how citizens interpret and respond to the crisis. Commonly cited causes include corruption, mismanagement at Eskom, underinvestment in infrastructure, and political instability. These concerns reflect deep dissatisfaction with institutional accountability and service delivery. Beyond causes, citizens frequently emphasize the wide-ranging consequences of loadshedding including disruptions to small businesses, job losses, declining investor confidence, and threats to essential services such as healthcare and education.
Furthermore, citizens express strong concern over the unequal impact of loadshedding. Tweets frequently reference inconsistent power cuts, exemptions for privileged areas, and the disproportionate burden on small businesses, students, and low-income households. These perceived injustices fuel public frustration and erode social cohesion. Yet, policy responses have remained largely technocratic focused on generation capacity and grid reform while ignoring the lived realities of those most affected.
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