For the past week I have been stressing due to power failure at both my workplace and home. At times I have failed to have supper because of unpredictable load shedding which leaves most of us unprepared.

For the past week I have been stressing due to power failure at both my workplace and home. At times I have failed to have supper because of unpredictable load shedding which leaves most of us unprepared.

Load shedding has become a reality, and will be, as Eskom tells us, for the next five years. And they say there isn't much they can do to alleviate the situation.

Consumers of electricity, including big business, must live with this costly inconvenience or seek other costly measures to sustain themselves and their businesses.

How Eskom failed to project this disaster 10 years ago puzzles me. If Eskom did as it proclaims, why did the government not heed the call? One is left to believe that either the government or Eskom is liable of gross negligence.

This situation is going to impact negatively on the country's good reputation and investment prospects. Endeavours to reduce and half unemployment by 2010, as Asgisa aims, will be severely hampered unless a solution is found soon.

One of those last resorts that might be taken will be to reduce power supply to our neighbouring countries. However, this will exacerbate their socio-economic situation.

A solution has to be found, regardless.

Phillimon Mnisi, Johannesburg