On Thursday March 6, Eskom began implementing load-shedding for the first time since the crisis of 2008. The interruption caused shops to close, disrupted cellular networks and raised fresh concerns about the constraint being placed on South Africa’s already poor growth outlook by the country’s electricity shortages. The utility has warned that the risk of further emergencies and load-shedding will remain for much of March and April, owing to high levels of summer maintenance.