Load shedding: Do your part to save electricity

GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Premier Alan Winde said: “Apart from having a good plan in place, all of us in the Western Cape need to intensify energy reduction measures, now, to contribute to reduced pressure on the grid.”

As we navigate our way through the latest series of power cuts, the Premier has appealed to staff and residents to use electricity sparingly.

Basic energy-saving tips for when you are at the office:

Switch off all lights when leaving the office
Please ensure windows are closed if the aircon is on
Switch the aircon off before leaving the office
Stop the boiler from being an energy guzzler, save electricity by switching it off when you leave
Save electricity and paper by only printing what you need
Please switch off your computer when leaving the office at the end of the day

Basic energy-saving tips for when you are at home:

Switch off all appliances at the wall and pull-out chargers. This could save up to 6% on electricity costs;
Turn down geyser temperatures to 60 degrees Celsius. This can save up to 5% on one’s electricity bill;
Fit geysers with geyser blankets to prevent heat loss;
Replace ordinary lightbulbs with energy-saving ones;
Set pool pumps to run for fewer hours.

With the implementation of high stages of load shedding, it is likely that we will experience long periods of rolling blackouts. Be prepared by doing the following:

Make sure you cell phone is fully charged when the power is on
Invest in a small gas lamp for good quality lighting over a large area
Invest in a small gas cooker for essential meals and to boil water
Prepare meals beforehand based on your loadshedding schedule
Remember to switch off your oven if it was on when the power shortage started
Keep boiled water in thermos flasks
Keep frozen bottled water in your freezer to help keep food cold during long periods of load shedding
Keep a battery or solar-powered torch or candles in a place where it will be easy to find (make sure you have an extra set of batteries)

Every little bit counts towards saving energy. We thank you for your cooperation in keeping our energy consumption as low as possible.

IQumrhu lombane iEskom limilisele amaNqanaba aphezulu ocimombane, kwaye kubalulekile ukuba sikhokele phambili ekongeni umbane.

INkulumbuso uAlan Winde uthe: “Ngaphandle kokuba nesicwangciso esilungileyo, sonke eNtshona Koloni kufuneka siqinise amanyathelo okunciphisa ukusetyenziswa kwamandl' ombane ngoku, ukuze sibe negalelo ekunciphiseni uxinzelelo kwigridi.”

Njengokuba sizama iindlela zokuphuma kolu thotho loqhawulombane lwamva nje, iNkulumbuso ibongoze abasebenzi nabahlali ukuba bawusebenzise ngononophelo umbane.

Nanzi ezinye zeengcebiso ezisisiseko zokonga amandl' ombane xa niseofisini:

Cimani zonke izibane xa niphuma eofisini
Ncedani niqinisekise ukuba iifestile zivaliwe ukuba silayitiwe isihuhuzimoya
Cimani izihuhuzimoya phambi kokuba niphum' eofisini
Ziyekiseni izibilisimanzi ukuba zizibimbilizimbane, yongani umbane ngokuthi niwucime xa nihamba
Yongan' umbane namaphepha ngokuthi niprinte kuphela xa kukho imfuneko
Ncedani nizicime iikhompyutha zenu xa niphuma eofisini ekupheleni kosuku

Nanzi ezinye zeengcebiso ezisisiseko zokonga amandl' ombane xa nisemakhaya:

Cimani edongeni zonke izixhobo zombane kwaye nizikhuphe iitshaja kwiiplagi. Oku kunokonga malunga ne-6% kwiindleko zombane;
Hlisani amaqond' obushushu begiza ayokutsho ku-60. Oku kunokonga malunga ne-5% kwityala lombane womntu;
Yombathiseni ngenkubo igiza ukuthintela ukuphulukana kwayo nobushushu;
Tshintshani iiglowubhu zesiqhelo nifake ezonga umbane;
Iimpompo zamadama zimiselen' ixesha lokuba mazisebenze nje iiyure ezimbalwa.

Ngokumiliselwa kwamaNqanaba aphezulu oCimombane, kusenokwenzeka ukuba siya kuba nocimombane kangangamaxesh' amade. Zilungiseleleni ngokuthi nenze oku kulandelayo:

Qinisekisa ukuba iselfowuni yakho itshajwe ngokupheleleyo xa ubuyil' umbane
Thengan' isibane esincinci serhasi ukuze nikhanyise kakhuhle indawo enkulu
Thengan' isitov' esincinci serhasi ukuze nipheke ukutya okufunekayo kwaye nibilise namanzi
Kulungiseleleni ukutya kwangexesha ngokusekelwe kwishedyuli yenu yocimombane
Nikhumbule ukuyicima ioveni ukuba ibilayitiwe ngelixa ubucim' umbane
Wagcineni amanzi abilisiweyo kwiiflaski zokugcin' ubushushu
Gcinan' iibhotile zamanzi akhenkcezisiweyo kwisikhenkcisi ukugcina ukutya kubanda ngexesha locimombane ixesha elide
Gcinani ibhetri okanye itotshi yombane welanga okanye amakhandlela kwindawo apho iya kufumaneka lula khona (qiniseka ukuba uneseti eyongezelelweyo yeebhetri)

Nentwan' encinci yombane esiwongayo iyabala ekongeni amandl' ombane. Siyanibulela ngentsebenziswano yenu ekugcineni kusezantsi kangangoko ukuwusebenzisa kwethu umbane.