Stage 1 load shedding will be implemented on Saturday as the power system remains "volatile", Eskom's spokesperson Dikatso Mothae has confirmed.

Mothae provided an update on the power system to Fin24 via WhatsApp on Friday.

"We will load shed at stage 1 tomorrow," she said.

The load shedding status for Sunday will only be confirmed on Saturday. "[The] system is still volatile," Mothae added.

Crucially, South African rugby enthusiasts are hoping for power on Sunday, when South Africa takes on Japan in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final just after midday.

The latest developments are in contrast to what acting CEO Jabu Mabuza told media at a briefing on Thursday evening - Eskom had not expected load shedding for the weekend. Furthermore, Mabuza said only stage 1 load shedding would be implemented on Friday.

Find your load shedding schedule here

But early on Friday morning, Eskom issued a notice that load shedding would be escalated to stage 2, after additional capacity was lost at Medupi power station in Lephalale, Limpopo, Fin24 previously reported.

"Late last night, we lost Medupi 3, 4 and 5 due to coal and ash handling issues," Eskom said in its statement.

How Medupi and Kusile are sinking South Africa

On Friday afternoon, however, Mothae said that unit 4 had come back online.

The power utility reintroduced load shedding on Wednesday this week due to a shortage of capacity following the failure of a conveyor belt, used to carry 4 000 tons of coal, from Exxaro's Grootgeluk Coal Mine to Medupi. Mabuza has said the conveyor belt is expected to be repaired by next Wednesday.