Eskom have come out and asked all people and businesses across the country to try an conserve as much electricity as they can due to the shortages of electricity currently being experienced in South Africa. But it looks like there are not too many people listening to this plea from Eskom.

It has been reported on IOL.co.za that there are some government buildings in Pretoria that are ‘lit up like Christmas trees’ all night. Now surely all those responsible for such buildings are aware that Christmas is not now and is a few weeks away! If the whole country is trying to conserve electricity by switching off their lights and geysers at home then surely it should also start at the top with the government also saving electricity and switching off their office lights at the end of the working day. It was also noted that one building in Pretoria which is undergoing renovations has its lights on through out the night.

It is understandable if some lights have to be left on for security purposes in some buildings but obviously the whole building can not have its lights left on if no one is inside. Another major fear people are currently facing with regards to the power shortages currently being experienced are the impacts of street and traffic lights. With the already high levels of crime being faced in the major cities across South Africa, those at the forefront of leading the crimes must be very happy now as they can operate in conditions that they can not be seen in. Watch crime levels rise because of this. As for the traffic lights, not only will it result in more accidents on our already accident filled roads but traffic lights are also meant to control the flow of traffic. Now with the already conjested roads in South Africa’s major cities, a lack of traffic lights will just add to the woes. I was stuck in a traffic delay for up to 2 hours yesterday thinking that there was a road accident but only to find out that traffic lights were not working. Now imagine if this occurs country wide on a regular basis.

I think everyone should play a part in helping conserve the electricity we have. I look at some people who have hundreds of lights at their house and they are all on at night, there are maybe four televisions all on at the same time in different rooms, the geysers never get switched off and the swimming pool pump runs 24 hours a day. You then ask them why they cant switch some of it off and help the country conserve electricity they will turn back to you and say, “I can afford it so what is your problem?”

I would like to encourage all of us to please conserve at much electricity as we can. We do not want to end up living in total darkness like our neighbours in the North.

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