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The mental health impact of loadshedding on small-business owners in Alexandra township, Gauteng

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The study reported in this article used a qualitative research design to explore the mental health impact of loadshedding on small-business owners in Alexandra township, Gauteng. This exploratory study involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with small-business owners during the height of the loadshedding crisis in 2023. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Several themes were identified, suggesting that loadshedding adversely affected small-business owners, disrupting workflows, creating economic challenges, and provoking various psychological effects at different ecosystemic levels. Participants reported anxiety, stress, frustration, and feelings of helplessness, influencing their psychological well-being. Systemic repercussions included the economic and psychological effects of loadshedding on their families, employees, and the broader community. The combination of these psychological challenges and the lingering effects of the post-COVID-19 economic climate has deepened the vulnerability of small-business owners, hindering their recovery efforts. The study calls for assessing the availability and effectiveness of support mechanisms, including governmental interventions, for small-business owners facing the challenges of unreliable energy supply, given the negative psychological consequences

Source: South African Journal of Psychology

DOI: 10.1177/00812463251379068

Authors: Lesedi Mosenngwe Tladi, Maria C Marchetti-Mercer

Institution: University of the Witwatersrand

Language: English

Topic: Employment and Welfare Studies

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,650