My partner is a Zimbabwean man living in Western Europe. We rely heavily on applications like WhatsApp for communication. And because of the nature of long-distance relationships, communication is critical.

Last week, the solid foundation of our communication was rocked by Eskom’s rolling blackouts. On most days, I did not have electricity for at least six hours cumulatively. This impacted our ability to communicate effectively. More than this, it also affected my professional and academic productivity. I had to defer work and school deadlines. I also lost a consulting project due to uncertainty about delivery. It was an incredibly miserable week, made more so by the blistering cold. But it was also a week during which I reflected very seriously on whether it makes sense to continue living in SA...