Widespread power cuts have returned to South Africa after a reprieve over the festive period.

The blackouts, known as load-shedding, are designed to prevent a total collapse of the overstretched electricity grid.

State-owned power utility Eskom said load-shedding will be implemented from 5am to 4pm on Tuesday.

The power cuts will then progress from stage two to stage three, meaning South Africans can expect blackouts up to nine times a day over a four-day period for two hours at a time, or nine times over an eight-day period for four hours at a time.

In a statement on social media platform X, Eskom said load-shedding was halted for 18 days across late December and New Year's day.

This was South Africa's longest period without load-shedding since summer 2022, the company said.