# 🔥 ESP Version 5

Find out why the power's off or what's happening nearby: It's the  official space to check if 'Is it just me?' and have your neighbours confirm that no, it is not just you.

---

## Real Areas, Not Loadshedding Blocks

Version 5 switches from the old "loadshedding block" system to actual suburb and area names.

**Loadshedding still works exactly the same.** Your area gets the right schedule and notifications. We've just made it smarter and more local.

[![][image1]](https://cdn.esp.info/static/v5/areas-map.png)

---

## Why the Change?

**Your area is more than "Block 8."**

Real place names create context. When chats, outages, and reports are tied to actual suburbs, information becomes actionable. You're not just reading updates. You're coordinating with the people who share your street.

**Infrastructure changes. Communities don't.**

Loadshedding blocks can move, merge, or split overnight. Your suburb stays put. That's where your neighbours are, where local knowledge lives, and where shared problems become shared solutions.

[![][image2]](https://cdn.esp.info/static/v5/before-after.png)

---

## How It Works

**Loadshedding notifications haven't changed.** You still get schedules, notifications, and warnings just under your actual area name.

**Chats and reports are grouped by real areas.** When conversations happen in context, information turns into understanding. Share what's happening, get answers from neighbours who know, take action together.

**Some areas have multiple blocks.** When loadshedding starts, you can select which blocks apply to your area.

**Everything else works the same.** Follow, favourite, and share areas like before.

---

## Built for Connection, Not Noise

The internet's crowded enough. ESP Chats aren't another feed to scroll, they're focused spaces where what you share actually matters to the people reading it.

**No admin gatekeepers. No phone numbers exposed. No one person running the show.**

Pop in to check if the outage is just you, share a heads-up about a pothole, or find out what's really happening down the road. Everyone has a voice. The community decides what's helpful (long-press to report what's not). AI keeps things tidy in the background so you can focus on what matters: getting through the day with a bit of help from your neighbours.

Local problems need local action. Version 5 makes that easier.

[![][image3]](https://cdn.esp.info/static/v5/community.png)

---

## What's Next

Electricity and water outages are just part of the deal. But these challenges become opportunities to connect, support each other, and yes, even have a laugh along the way.

Switching to geo-based areas unlocks new possibilities: water outage tracking, local service updates, and community projects. We're building the foundation for the next chapter: where local actually means local, and where South Africans can turn chaos into connection.

Because the best way to get through life's curveballs is together.

---

## Thank You

Thanks for being part of the community that keeps South Africa connected, even when the lights go out.

**EskomSePush v5! New areas. New chats. Same old loadshedding.**

*The power might be off, but the community is always on.*

❤️ *The EskomSePush Team*

*Contact us [support@esp.info](mailto:support@esp.info?subject=Version%205)*

[image1]: https://cdn.esp.info/static/v5/areas-map.png
[image2]: https://cdn.esp.info/static/v5/before-after.png
[image3]: https://cdn.esp.info/static/v5/community.png
