Universities across the country have been feeling the pinch, with large campuses having to spend money on diesel or petrol to power generators.
Despite government interventions, rolling blackouts are not expected to end anytime soon and costs to keep lecture halls and other institution facilities operating have become an additional financial burden.
In a recent parliamentary Q&A, the Department of Higher Education was asked what total amount universities spend daily on diesel each time the country experiences loadshedding across the various stages.
According to the department, the University of Pretoria spent the most on diesel, at R2.2 million per month during Stage 6.
The University of Johannesburg spends around R890,000 per day during Stage 6, while the North-West University spends around R492,000 each day.
The University of Zululand does not have many generators. We, therefore, do not have an astronomical diesel account for load shedding, but the reality is that we are in dire need of generators and a budget for diesel for the generators if the load shedding is going to continue as is.
The table below shows how much institutions are spending to keep the lights on each day during loadshedding:
| University/ Institution | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Stage 5 | Stage 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pretoria | R1 200 933 | R1 501 167 | R1 801 400 | R2 201 711 |
| 2 | University of Johannesburg | R178 494 | R535 483 | R712 978 | R892 473 |
| 3 | North-West University | R196 800 | R295 200 | R392 600 | R492 000 |
| 4 | Stellenbosch University | R194 221 | R234 576 | R288 473 | R342 739 |
| 5 | University of Cape Town | R98 510 | R131 346 | R164 183 | R197 019 |
| 6 | Nelson Mandela University | R75 600 | R100 800 | R108 360 | R115 920 |
| 7 | Cape Peninsula University of Technology | R30 500 | R44 650 | R56 400 | R82 250 |
| 8 | University of the Western Cape | R21 871 | R33 333 | R41 667 | R49 911 |
| 9 | Tshwane University of Technology | R26 250 | R39 375 | R42 000 | R42 000 |
| 10 | University of the Free State | R7 747 | R15 494 | R20 659 | R25 824 |
| 11 | Durban University of Technology | R5 870 | R7 044 | R11 741 | R16 437 |
| 12 | Sol Plaatjie University | R3 880 | R7 276 | R7 276 | R8 731 |
| 13 | Sefako Makgatho University | R1 233 | R1 513 | R2 104 | R2 603 |
Minister Blade Nzimande said that Central University of Technology spends about R 39 285.87 per week for both campuses. This is a conservative number since it varies based on the stages of the loadshedding.
He also explained that it was difficult to monitor the exact figures Rhodes University spends to mitigate load shedding at each stage. However, in 2022 the institution spent a total of R3,146,410 on diesel.
Estimations show that the Mangosuthu University of Technology spends approximately R123,026 per month on diesel.
Nzimande adds, “Unisa does do not keep track of expenditure per stage of loadshedding and is therefore not able to provide data in that format.”
Meanwhile, power utility Eskom has just eased loadshedding to Stage 2, citing small improvements in generation capacity over the past week. However, lower stages have become few and far between, with analysts and researchers pointing to further fluctuations.
For access to load shedding schedules, Eskom has made them available via the loadshedding website.
Alternatively, smartphone users can download the app "EskomSePush (ESP)" to receive push notifications when load shedding is implemented.
