Zimbabwe and Zambia are experiencing extreme power cuts of up to 21 hours per day according to media reports.
The two countries are overly reliant on hydropower as the main source of power and the Kariba Dam which provides the water is running dry.
Water levels are said to be too low to generate power.
Zambia and Zimbabwe including many other countries in the SADC region have been hard hit by the impact of climate change as the El Nino effect has resulted in the drought.
Thami Ngubeni spoke to Energy expert Adil Nchabeleng.