Cape Town – The City of Cape Town has launched its load-shedding mobile application that informs residents when load shedding will be implemented in their areas.
Named City of Cape Town, the app will allow users to get real-time information, log electricity service requests and customers will be shown where they can buy prepaid electricity.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said the app was available for download from the Apple and Google Play stores.
“The app keeps customers updated with the City's load-shedding schedule by adding their area or suburb via a map, their current location, or by searching the search box. Customers can view their area's load-shedding status and timetables, use the app to log service requests with the City or find vendors selling prepaid electricity.
“It allows customers or users to see which area is currently being load-shed, and which area is next,” Hill-Lewis said.
He said load-shedding schedules were likely to become more complex with different stages at different times of the day.
The app would allow residents to access the most accurate information about load shedding so they could plan around it.
“We want Capetonians to experience the minimum amount of inconvenience from Eskom’s generation failures while we work to make load shedding a thing of the past,” Hill-Lewis said.
No registration or personal details are required to access the app.
Mayoral committee member for energy Beverley van Reenen said: “One could argue few good things come from load shedding, but this is an example of innovation being born from a crisis.
“This work is part of a myriad of projects under way to change the way Cape Town experiences load shedding.
“This includes constant investment and maintenance in infrastructure to ensure the City is able to protect its customers from at least a stage of load shedding where it can; while at the same time rolling out mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis’s energy priority of ending load shedding over time,” van Reenen said.
IOL