Load shedding shuts down single mom's online teaching business after students quit over disruptions

[Mike Hoxbig]

You seem to know her better than me so why don't you call her and ask her?

Also, if you really want to make that point, you'd see that she created that crowdfunding campaign in late 2020, long before we had stage 6 twice in the same year.

A lot can happen in a year and a half, so you're making a lot of assumptions from your high horse that this person hasn't made any efforts to fix her situation.

We may not have had stage 6, but load shedding has been with us for over a decade. And it's been particularly bad since at least 2019. When you're running an online business, do you seriously not factor that in?

I'm not the one inventing excuses on her behalf about towers going down and shifting the goalposts to stage 6 instead of load shedding in general, so I'm not sure why you'd think I know her better than you do...

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

So what, I think your intelligence is questionable given your posts here but you're still allowed to post. Doesn't take away from the message

Thanks for jumping into a conversation that you weren't part of and providing your opinion that wasn't asked for...

 

[Progenix Oj101]

I don't have to. You don't go around portraying an imaging of yourself publicly and asking for iPhones, then cry about how you can't afford a R1,000 UPS. Why didn't she try and crowd fund a UPS instead of an iPhone?

That was two years ago, and clearly she gave up on the idea of being an "influencer" and tried to build a career for herself - one that Eskom has taken away.

I don't think that's even up for debate. But News24 chose to highlight this through arguably a questionable individual...

As I said, ignore the individual and focus on the actual issue - load shedding is causing irreparable damage.

I said another because she has a history of doing so.

I'm sure we've all tried doing a few things that failed. Does that mean everything is going to fail?

She tried a completely different path two years ago which failed, she has since found her feet (although she has now had them yanked out from under her).

Also, if you really want to make that point, you'd see that she created that crowdfunding campaign in late 2020, long before we had stage 6 twice in the same year.

A lot can happen in a year and a half, so you're making a lot of assumptions from your high horse that this person hasn't made any efforts to fix her situation.

Never mind load shedding twice in a year, when we moved to our current house the cell towers would stay on for the duration of load shedding. Speeds would drop, signal would often change from 4G to 3G, but using today as an example I was on "no service" between 08:01 and 11:09 - two years ago I could actually use my phone (including data connection) for the entire duration of load shedding.

 

[surface]

Never mind load shedding twice in a year, when we moved to our current house the cell towers would stay on for the duration of load shedding. Speeds would drop, signal would often change from 4G to 3G, but using today as an example I was on "no service" between 08:01 and 11:09 - two years ago I could actually use my phone (including data connection) for the entire duration of load shedding.

During load-shedding, I put my phone outside the house as I don't get signal inside. I am not kidding.

 

[Progenix Oj101]

During load-shedding, I put my phone outside the house as I don't get signal inside. I am not kidding.

Oh, no point for me. I can go 1-2km from the house without it finding signal. I just swap to flight mode to prevent the battery from draining faster than normal.

 

[zolly]

We may not have had stage 6, but load shedding has been with us for over a decade. And it's been particularly bad since at least 2019. When you're running an online business, do you seriously not factor that in?

We may not have had stage 6, but load shedding has been with us for over a decade. And it's been particularly bad since at least 2019. When you're running an bakery business, do you seriously not factor that in?

For context: many SMME's that are in baking are getting ****ED right now because they can't afford to get their own power that some of the bigger bread companies can. They're having to do all sorts of crazy **** with shifts and other things to avoid going under.

Not sure about the timestamp, but here's a guy who talks about it:

My point of this being, not everyone has the same access to resources to "work around" these issues. I have friends who work in the online space who have managed but now have to get their own power, and are having to dig DEEP financially in order to stay online. And these are not people from the township or small towns who have diplomas. These are people who are way more qualified and skilled.

I'm not the one inventing excuses on her behalf about towers going down and shifting the goalposts to stage 6 instead of load shedding in general, so I'm not sure why you'd think I know her better than you do...

Because you seem to think these are not problems she might have to deal with. You seem to ignore the fact that each person can only manage to deal with a certain level of difficulty on their own, depending on their circumstances. For example, I work online and have spent about R40,000 in total to avoid any downtime. Most people don't earn R40,000 a year in this country, let alone have the money to keep working when the power goes out. And even I'm aware if my fibre and mobile data go down at the same time, I am going to be in trouble.

 

[ch@rge]

She is merely listing her problems. Like you did here, right? If you keep on reading same article 100 times, it will appear as if she is nagging you personally - I will give you that.

I certainly didn't run to News24 about my woes - a few posts on a tech-related forum was all.

How did you studies go around 12 November last year when you were complaining about your internet being down for several days?


Much like you, saying you can't get employment within SA?

They continued - I made a plan. Comment on a tech-related forum, and then I moved on and stopped whining.

And yes, getting employment in SA has been a major issue. The circumstances are certainly against me, but you don't see me running to the media to complain about how tough the world is...

 

[HunterNW]

Sad thread, shows how out of touch most privileged people are. It's easy to have all the answers when you've got daddy's trust fund backing you up

MyCadre group have a new recruit. Did they give you a free TShirt ?

 

[lunch]

MyCadre group have a new recruit. Did they give you a free TShirt ?

Dunno who that is but they're living rent free in your head it seems

 

[HunterNW]

Dunno who that is but they're living rent free in your head it seems

I do charge. They don't pay. New SA.

 

[dualmeister]

"teaching business" ...... yeah right sure

 

[zolly]

They continued - I made a plan.

Since you ignored my previous points around your context, it's been clarified that you are now a student.

Most online education platforms in SA, including universities who had to go remote because of COVID, have accessible materials for these scenarios where students cannot access material at the time the class is happening.

However, this is very different from being the educator who is providing realtime tuition. As someone who knows about teaching English online, half of the class is about being able to speak with someone who has a good grasp of English so you can practice in person.

Were you getting one-on-one private tuition or were you using a platform that catered to multiple students and allowed you to access resources (such as recorded classes) after the fact? Am assuming you missed the occasional class and were able to catch up somehow? Did your internet stay up despite load shedding? Or did you have to move from zone to zone dodging load shedding?

Comment on a tech-related forum, and then I moved on and stopped whining.

The person did one interview. And again, as it has been stated numerous times, no-one here knows what she is currently doing (or not doing), so maybe she too has "stopped whining" and is making a plan.

Or maybe she's getting thirsty dudes in her DM's who are happy to simp for her. Who knows? Maybe more people here know this woman than I realise and are talking from person experience with her.

 

[ShaunSA]

Or maybe she's getting thirsty dudes in her DM's who are happy to simp for her. Who knows? Maybe more people here know this woman than I realise and are talking from person experience with her.

Again with the iron knee

 

[Bonywasawarrioraway]

Lol a generator to keep a router and 1 light on?
View attachment 1389598

Think of it as "a generator to keep your business running" and it starts to make sense.

 

[daveza]

Interested to know who she voted for in the previous elections.

 

[Hemi300c]

The debate is on going the MYBB judiciary has spoken, the Defence has spoken but the criminal the anc is asking for patients while they reshuffle the next idiots in.

We all in the same boat with additional expenses or obstacles and the anc does nothing.

 

[Progenix Oj101]

Interested to know who she voted for in the previous elections.

It doesn't matter who you vote for, as our elections are not truly free and fair. The ANC will remain in power until removed by force.

 

[ch@rge]

Since you ignored my previous points around your context, it's been clarified that you are now a student.

Apologies, I missed the notification about your post.

I'm actually in both camps. Last year, I decided to pursue as many online courses as I could - realising my chances in SA aren't going to improve if I sat around doing nothing.

Recently I completed a Diploma in ESL teaching.

Most online education platforms in SA, including universities who had to go remote because of COVID, have accessible materials for these scenarios where students cannot access material at the time the class is happening.

Yep - I guided a number of rural schools and educational centres with the transistion. Each institution had its own unique challenges and I thoroughly enjoyed helping them find solutions to keep education flowing. (I still maintain that the DoE should zero rate Teams and G Classroom - this would've hugely assisted the rural communities)

Were you getting one-on-one private tuition or were you using a platform that catered to multiple students and allowed you to access resources (such as recorded classes) after the fact? Am assuming you missed the occasional class and were able to catch up somehow? Did your internet stay up despite load shedding? Or did you have to move from zone to zone dodging load shedding?

(All of the above, both as teacher and student)
Now that you have some more context about me - I can tell you that I've held staff meetings with people in taxi's using headphones. I've personally taught lessons at a friends spare room, or at a school I've helped - just to dodge loadshedding.

I have 3 prepaid SIMS from different providers - backups for when the respective towers fail during loadshedding.

None of the measures above have cost much (R1 per SIM and a few RICA docs), and have helped me steer clear of major load shedding issues recently (note, on a farm 20mins away from the closest dorpie)

The person did one interview. And again, as it has been stated numerous times, no-one here knows what she is currently doing (or not doing), so maybe she too has "stopped whining" and is making a plan.

Still doesn't make sense why she quit her teaching job, because of LS, and my original point still stands.

If the job meant that much to her, she really could have made a plan...

 

[zolly]

If the job meant that much to her, she really could have made a plan...

You mean like this:

I have lost 80% of my students. I mainly teach international students… They leave bad reviews; they say I’m unprofessional… Buying a UPS or generator… I’m saving up… but with less income, it became harder…

Lungiswa Xhamela, Online English teacher

All hope is gone for many small business owners due to continued load shedding

While the President begs for patience, small businesses are going under one after another.

www.capetalk.co.za

For someone who says they are involved, you'll know that problems aren't always solved, but at the end of the day, here's the difference between someone like the woman above and what you're describing in the quote below and in other quotes below that:

Yep - I guided a number of rural schools and educational centres with the transistion.

So assuming these facilities had some sort of funding from government to deal with this. This is very different from being someone having to solve this problem on your own without any taxpayer money. For example, I know that many uni students who returned to rural areas during lockdown, who don't have access to proper facilities like the ones you describe above, had to deal with an insane number of issues from weak signal to power randomly going out to literally not having taxi money to get into a nearby town in order to be online for tuts and lectures during COVID.

It's great that this works out for some people. Without help it doesn't work out for others.

I still maintain that the DoE should zero rate Teams and G Classroom - this would've hugely assisted the rural communities

DoE has to convince commercial entities like MTN/Telkom/Vodacom to come to the table the way they did during lockdown.

Now that you have some more context about me - I can tell you that I've held staff meetings with people in taxi's using headphones. I've personally taught lessons at a friends spare room, or at a school I've helped - just to dodge loadshedding.

That's great for those people and you, but it still doesn't change the fact that for some people those just aren't options.

I have 3 prepaid SIMS from different providers - backups for when the respective towers fail during loadshedding.

So you're lucky enough to live in an area where you have coverage from three different providers DESPITE the fact that you're out in the sticks and that provides you with backup. In some places, it's one and that's it. Heck, I have two SIMS and live in Cape Town but despite the fact that I'm in the middle of the suburbs my one SIM always dies during loadshedding.

 

[ch@rge]

So you're lucky enough to live in an area where you have coverage from three different providers DESPITE the fact that you're out in the sticks and that provides you with backup. In some places, it's one and that's it. Heck, I have two SIMS and live in Cape Town but despite the fact that I'm in the middle of the suburbs my one SIM always dies during loadshedding.

Not so much luck, as it was research and fact-finding. (Again, cost me zero Rands)
Just last week, I reported to Telkom that their tower wasn't holding up during LS - the local team promptly fixed things...

Anyway, my goal wasn't to derail the thread - or make it about me.

My original point still stands - she really could have done more to make a plan.