Informal traders become targets during blackouts, study shows

JOHANNESBURG - It's back to darkness for South Africans, who have enjoyed a slight reprieve from blackouts.

Eskom has announced Stage 2 blackouts from 4pm to 5am until further notice.

READ: Blackouts continue this week

The utility says it continues to suffer generation unit breakdowns and the blackouts are necessary to replenish emergency generation reserves.

Blackouts have become a staple of our daily lives and are expensive for businesses and companies trying to stay afloat.

READ: Eskom is the biggest threat to economy - Ramaphosa

But for informal traders who operate on the streets, it's often dangerous too.

A new study has revealed that informal traders are frequently preyed upon during power cuts.

The study was conducted by market research group Yazi who surveyed traders from every province in the country.