JOHANNESBURG - Countrywide blackouts -- similar to those seen in 2008 -- are expected from Sunday.

Eskom will start emergency load-shedding around the country from 8am.

This is because one of the coal silos at its Majuba power station in Mpumalanga has collapsed, meaning operations have had to be shut down.

Eskom says load-shedding could continue well into the week and the switch-off is expected to get worse on Monday.

A load-shedding schedule is available at loadshedding.eskom.co.za.