After earlier saying that stage 2 load shedding would continue until 5am on Monday morning, Eskom now says it does not expect to have to institute rotational power cuts on Monday. Power cuts will end at 11pm on Sunday and not continue overnight.

In a power status update on Sunday evening, Eskom said water levels at its pumped storage schemes had been adequately replenished. "We have managed to conserve diesel at our open cycle gas turbine generators, and continue to work to replenish the diesel levels," it added.

It said that while the electricity systems remains "constrained and vulnerable", no load shedding is expected on Monday.

"However, should there be a significant shift in plant performance and an increase in unplanned breakdowns, load shedding could be implemented at short notice."

The utility previously announced on Saturday evening that it would have to implement stage 2 load shedding following an "unanticipated conveyor belt failure at Medupi power station". The belt has since been repaired.

A broken conveyor belt at the power plant was a major factor behind the implementation of power cuts in October.

In mid-December, President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that said Eskom management had given him an assurance that the utility "should not be in a position to have any form of load shedding" between December 17 and January 15, 2020.