Media reports suggest that loadshedding is likely to be with us for some time yet, and whether you happen to be at work or at home when one of the dreaded blackouts strikes, there’s nothing worse than being caught off guard.

Avoid unpleasant surprises by knowing exactly when your area will go down. At least then you can get your office/factory/home-sweet-home ready beforehand.

First step is to download one of the apps developed to help South Africans navigate the minefield of daily announcements and loadshedding schedules. Read about some of the best in “Be prepared for loadshedding with these apps” on IOL, and if you happen to live in an area that has enough of its own generating capacity to lessen the incidence and severity of loadshedding (Cape Town being one example), make sure that your chosen app incorporates that.